Jacksonville, Florida (AP) —Urban Meyer never fits the NFL.
His motto. His way. Even his mood seemed to go against what is considered normal behavior in a league full of professional and grown-up men. He rubbed almost everyone wrongly, including assistants, players, and ultimately bosses.
Meyer’s turbulent term ended after only 13 games and two wins when the Jacksonville Jaguars fired him early Thursday due to a buildup of failures.
Owner Shad Khan moved for hours after former Jaguar’s player Josh Lambo said the Florida newspaper Meyer kicked him during practice in August. It was the latest black eye for a college coach who won three national championships, who had a terrible failure to move to the NFL — already added to the long list of embarrassment —.
“After weeks of deliberation and a thorough analysis of the entire urban tenure with our team, I am very disappointed to reach the conclusion that immediate changes are essential for everyone. “We are doing it,” Khan said in a statement. “I notified Urban tonight of the change. As I said in October, regaining trust and respect was essential. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”
Meyer joined Bobby Petrino, a former Atlanta Falcons coach, as a college coach, and his NFL career burned surprisingly quickly. Petrino resigned in December 2007 and took over Arkansas. He was 3-10 years old at the time.
Meyer advanced 2-11 in the partial season, and Jaguar actually began to unravel on the attacking side of the ball following the team’s buy week. They scored an average of 9.1 points in Meyer’s last seven games, ending with five skids.
Attack coordinator Darrell Bevell will be Jacksonville’s interim head coach in the final four games against Houston (2-11) on Sunday.
Meyer’s biggest problem came out of the field where he tried to treat a professional team as if he were on a college campus. He spewed slogans and taglines around the facility, actually planted gimmicks, repeated his false belief that coaches coach for players and players play for coaches. He brought in motivational speakers and continued to blame the assistant for the increasing loss of the team on behalf of the guys who were actually in the field.
One of Meyer’s worst decisions came after Thursday night’s match in Cincinnati in late September. He chose to stay with his family instead of going home with the team and was caught up in a video of improper behavior with a female at a bar in Columbus, Ohio the next night. Kahn then publicly rebuked Meyer and said he needed to regain the trust and respect of the owner.
Bailing of his players showed how much Meyer didn’t touch the NFL norms. And that was just one of many headache options for a 57-year-old coach who was successful at all college stops: Bowling Green (2001-02), Utah (2003-04), Florida (2005-10), Ohio (2012-18).
Meyer has never made the right adjustments to the professional level.
Rambo’s claim seems to be too proven for Khan, who said he didn’t want to make impulsive decisions about the coach’s future two days ago.
“The difference in this is that you have a loss and you have a drama,” Khan said then.
Jug had far more drama than victory.
Rambo provided the Tampa Bay Times with the latest information when Meyer said he kicked him while stretching at the beginning of the practice. Rambo, the kicker for the team’s season opener, told Meyer, “Don’t kick (curse) again,” and the coach said, “I’m a headball coach. I kick at any time. (Taunt) I want. “
Meyer issued a statement through the team denying that the incident had occurred, as Lambo explained.
“Josh’s character with me and this case is completely inaccurate, and there are witnesses who refute his explanation,” Meyer said.
Rambo said he reported the kick to an agent who contacted a Jaguars lawyer the next day.
“The Jaguars legal counsel actually acknowledged the question asked by Josh Lambo’s agent on Friday, August 27, 2021 and answered it immediately,” the Jaguars said in a statement. “The lawyer offered to help talk to Josh, or if Josh was happy to share the information, with coaching and other football players. Other suggestions are clear. Is wrong. “
Rambo was released after missing the first three field goal attempts at the start of the season.
Rambo’s allegations follow the NFL Network’s report, which states that multiple break-in with players has created tensions, as well as an assistant that Meyer allegedly called a “loser.” Citing unconfirmed sources, the report details the enthusiastic exchange between Meyer and veteran receiver Mervin Jones.
Jones said Wednesday that it was the first public comment since the report was released on Saturday. “I approached him, talked about it, treated him like a grown-up man, and that’s all I have to say about it.”
Jones denied threatening to leave a convention in the debate.
“That is, shooting, losing, will always be the focus of attention in a negative way,” Jones said. “That’s exactly it. That’s all I have to say.”
Other Meyer issues:
— He hired strength coach Chris Doyle in February, despite accusations of racist behavior, and then had to send him a day later for a proceeding lawsuit. ..
— Jacksonville was fined $ 200,000 on July 1st, and Meyer docked $ 100,000.
— Meyer has signed a tight end play with 2007 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow. The experiment ended with Tebow appearing to have lost in the pre-season opening match against Cleveland.
—Meyer held a fake quarterback tournament at a training camp between generational prospects Trevor Lawrence and Gardner Minshew. Meyer and general manager Trent Barke traded Minshu to Philadelphia, where he backs up Jayren Hearts.
— The NFL Players Association began its investigation after Meyer stated that vaccination status had an impact on the team’s rostering.
— He repeatedly mishandled James Robinson’s running back, and the team’s most consistent and aggressive player was put on the bench twice following Fumble, why Robinson was pulled and he remained on the sidelines. I tried to explain the time I had and failed.
All dramas have become too much for Lawrence.
“I think we have to change that, and that’s something we definitely need to work on,” Lawrence said Wednesday. “It’s not always a headline. You just have to go play football, and that’s what we’re trying to get, and I’m sure we’ll get there. “
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