JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jaguars fans have renewed hope after coaching legend Urban Meyer accepted his first NFL position as the head coach in Jacksonville earlier this year.
Meyer had retired from coaching in 2019 after his stint with the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2012-2018 before returning to lead the Jaguars.
Meyer’s coaching career started back in 1985 after playing defensive back at the University of Cincinnati where he met his wife, Shelley Meyer.
His family has been with him through his entire coaching career from Illinois State, Colorado State, Notre Dame, Utah, University of Florida and Ohio State.
While moving his family from state to state, Meyer made it a priority to spend time with his strong support system.
He stepped away in 2010 after five years with the Gators to spend more time with his three children, Nicole (Nicki), Gisela (Gigi) and Nathan.
Nicki, his oldest daughter, was playing division-one volleyball at Georgia Tech when Meyer first stepped away from coaching.
Nicki met her husband, Corey Dennis, while at GT where he played football.
Dennis followed in his father-in-law’s footsteps in the Ohio State coaching world, spending the last six years on the coaching staff.
He is currently serving as the quarterback’s coach for the Buckeyes.
The pair have two children, Troy (4) and Gray (2), Meyer’s only grandchildren.
His youngest daughter, the middle child, Gisela, who goes by “Gigi,” was also a division-one collegiate volleyball player.
Gigi played at Florida Gulf Coast University where she was the start setter and named captain all four years.
She later went on to be a professional wakeboarder for a couple of years in Orlando.
In February of 2020, Gigi married Brian Pruett, an FGCU baseball player.
They now reside in Sarasota, Florida (just a few hours away from her dad!), and Gigi has built her own fitness brand, “GFIT.”
The youngest of the Meyer crew and only son, Nate, is following in his dad’s footsteps as a football player at the University of Cincinnati, according to ESPN.
He first went to Cincinnati to play baseball, but in 2020 he decided to make a move to football as a walk-on wide receiver for the Bearcats.
All three children have shown support on social media for their dad and his career move to coach the Jaguars.
Coach Meyer’s wife, Shelley, has also given Jacksonville praise on social media.
She has stood right by her husband’s side through his entire coaching journey and shared her excitement for the next chapter in Jacksonville.
She also tweeted she has some work to do for the NFL, since she’s been a college football fan for over 30 years.
Sporting teal and gold, Nicki tweeted “Fired up” with a picture of the girls after their dad became the new Jags head coach.
Gigi also shared a selfie on social media, calling herself “the biggest Jaguars fan on Earth.”
Nicki and Gigi also have their own podcast, “Team Meyer Podcast.” Their latest episode even includes a DUUUVAL chant.
Action News Jax will be watching the family’s social media on draft night to see if they share any feelings for their dad’s number-one pick for the Jaguars in the NFL draft.