The Jacksonville Jaguars are the first known team to take advantage of the early interview window provided to clubs in search of a coach, and they're moving in multiple directions.
The club, which dismissed Urban Meyer earlier this season, has requested permission to interview six NFL coordinators: Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles; Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn; Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus; and Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the requests for Leftwich, Quinn, Eberflus and Hackett, while NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported the request for Moore, and NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported the request for Bowles.
The club also has shown interest in former Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson and former Detroit Lions coach Jim Caldwell. Jacksonville will interview Pederson on Thursday, Rapoport reported.
NFL owners approved a resolution on Dec. 15 allowing clubs to request interviews over the final two weeks of the regular season, beginning Tuesday. A day after that resolution passed, the Jaguars parted ways with Meyer to end a lengthy string of both losses and embarrassments, and installed offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell as interim coach.
Leftwich is nearing the end of his third season leading a potent Buccaneers offense, the last two with the help of future Hall of Famer Tom Brady at quarterback. He knows Jacksonville well as a former first-round pick of the Jaguars. He was selected No. 7 overall in the 2003 NFL draft and played four seasons in Jacksonville, followed by shorter stints with the Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers and Buccaneers.
Leftwich and Hackett are the only two among the eight known candidates to have any employment ties to the Jaguars. Hackett served as Jacksonville's quarterbacks coach under Gus Bradley from 2015-2016, then as the club's offensive coordinator under Doug Marrone through 2018. He's been the Packers' OC since leaving the Jaguars.
Bowles was the New York Jets' head coach from 2015-2018, where he compiled a 24-40 record. Moore has been the Cowboys offensive coordinator since 2019. Quinn is in his first year as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator after losing his first head coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons last year. Eberflus has been the Indianapolis DC for four years following six years as the Cowboys' linebackers coach.
