Report: Urban Meyer 'deep in negotiations' to return to broadcasting

It sounds like a return to FOX is in the cards for Urban Meyer.

Meyer and FOX are “deep in negotiations” to reunite after he was fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars last season, according to The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch. Before heading to Jacksonville, Meyer worked for on FOX Big Noon Kickoff as an analyst after he stepped away from Ohio State. FOX replaced Meyer with former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

Earlier this month, Meyer teased a return to broadcasting in an interview with Tim May. It sounds like that’s becoming a reality, based on Deitsch’s report.

“It’s all still in conversation,” Meyer said to May. “I love FOX, I love their team and their guys. There’s nothing that’s been finalized yet but I plan on going back and doing that. I really enjoyed that. I enjoyed celebrating those who play, celebrating those who coach – it’s a great game. Not being the kind of ripping people to shreds but just celebrating this incredible game and most importantly, the players that do this game. I plan on being back in the fall doing something like that.”

Things didn’t go well for Meyer in Jacksonville this season — his first-ever NFL job. The Jaguars went 2-11 before firing Meyer after multiple issues, both on and off the field. But now, the former Florida and Ohio State coach might be heading back to the role he held two years ago.

Prior to Meyer’s comments to May, Lettermen Row’s Austin Ward reported he believed Meyer will eventually return to Fox.

“I can’t say that it’s done,” Ward said on the Lettermen Live Podcast. “I think it’s gonna happen again and I don’t think he ever should have left in the first place. He was good and I think they miss that. There was a drop-odd pretty significantly to Bob Stoops.”

On3’s Nikki Chavanelle contributed to this report.