AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Urban Meyer, Texans

Colts

Colts veteran TE Jack Doyle is entering his ninth season, all of which have been spent in Indianapolis. The 31-year-old is still under contract through the 2022 season, but at his age, Doyle said he’s taking things one year at a time as far as his career goes. 

“I’m still having a ton of fun, probably as much fun as I’ve had playing football and truly trying to take it one day at a time and enjoy it,” Doyle said via 1075TheFan.com’s Kevin Bowen. “Time does fly and you just take it one year at a time. Sometimes some of the younger guys will ask, ‘What year is this for you?’ It’s weird to say nine. If you would’ve asked Jack Doyle back in 2013 how many years he was going to play in the NFL, I don’t know if I would’ve said nine. But it’s just fun to be here every day and be with the guys playing a kids’ game.”

• Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press reports the Colts have fewer than 50 percent of their players vaccinated.

Jaguars

Hall of Fame HC Jimmy Johnson mentioned that Jaguars HC Urban Meyer, who worked alongside Johnson at Fox Sports, is growing “a little frustrated” by how little time he’s spent with the players due to COVID-19 protocols. 

“He’s a little frustrated right now because he’s spent so little time with the players,” Johnson said, via Nate Davis of USA Today. “He’s accustomed to being around the players all the time, and they weren’t able to do that because of COVID-19.”

Johnson is confident that Meyer will “do a great job” in Jacksonville given he’s a diligent coach and understands the importance of personnel. 

“Urban’s very thorough. Urban has spent his due diligence getting ready for this job,” said Johnson. “He knew what he was getting into when he accepted the job. We had numerous conversations during the job process. And I think he’ll do a great job. He knows how important personnel is. He knows how to deal with people.”

Johnson compared his own experience of being a college coach with the University of Miami from 1984-1988 until joining the Dallas Cowboys, describing that the relationship with athletes was “completely different” at the professional level. 

“There’s not a world of difference, there’s a galaxy of difference,” Johnson said. “As a college coach, I was a mentor, I was kind of a father figure, I did a tremendous amount of counseling with the players. They were young kids that had left home for the first time in their life, all the pressures of getting that college education, the pressures of the girlfriend, the pressures of living away from their family. So my relationship with the players was a heckuva lot different than professional players, who are really – they’re dictated by financial reasons, it’s a business, their agents are influencing them – so it’s a completely different relationship.”

Texans

• According to ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum, the Philadelphia Eagles are a likely trade destination for QB Deshaun Watson due to the fact that they have three first-round picks in the upcoming draft. Tannenbaum believes that the Eagles will be extremely aggressive in their pursuit of Watson if/when his legal situation is resolved.
• The Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins were two other possibilities mentioned by Tannenbaum as potential trade destinations.