JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The internet is calling for the firing of Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Urban Meyer after a report surfaced in the Tampa Bay Times that suggests he physically assaulted a former player.
The report says Meyer kicked former kicker Josh Lambo during warm-ups back in August. He says he reported the incident to the team's legal council through his agent but never met with them, according to the Tampa Bay Times article published Wednesday afternoon.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you for talking to Josh Lambo" tweeted SweetTea @MissLindner. "Jags fans and the people of Jacksonville miss him. I KNEW #UrbanMeyer must have done something to him, and I suspect this is just the tip of the iceberg. #FireUrbanMeyer."
"The team is probably (if they’re sane) trying to build a case to fire him with cause so they can void his contract," tweeted Brian @BrianCinBengals.
The article claims Meyer denied that the incident happened the way Lambo described it.
“Josh’s characterization of me and this incident is completely inaccurate, and there are eyewitnesses to refute his account,” Meyer said. “(General manager) Trent (Baalke) and I met with him on multiple occasions to encourage his performance, and this was never brought up. I was fully supportive of Josh during his time with the team and wish him nothing but the best.”
The report also includes a statement from the Jaguars about the incident.
“Jaguars legal counsel indeed acknowledged and responded immediately to the query made by Josh Lambo’s agent Friday, August 27, 2021,” the Jaguars said in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times. “Counsel offered to speak with Josh, or to assist Josh in speaking with coaching or any other football personnel, if he was comfortable with her sharing the information. Any suggestion otherwise is blatantly false.”
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero released a detailed report Saturday describing the dysfunctional environment created at TIAA Bank Field over the course of the Jaguars' 2-10, 2021 season.
Among the instances of conflict, in the past two weeks alone:
- Receiver Marvin Jones -- one of the locker room's most respected and mild-mannered veterans -- became so angry with Meyer's public and private criticism of the receiver group that he left the facility until other staff members convinced him to come back and had a heated argument with Meyer during practice.
- During a staff meeting, Meyer delivered a biting message that he's a winner and his assistant coaches are losers, according to several people informed of the contents of the meeting, challenging each coach individually to explain when they've ever won and forcing them to defend their résumés.
- Contrary to his public statements that it was injury-related, Meyer ordered Robinson's benching after an opening-drive fumble in last week's 37-7 road loss to the Rams, then had running backs coach Bernie Parmalee stop Robinson from re-entering the game, insisting Carlos Hyde (who played for Meyer at Ohio State) stay in. Only after Lawrence questioned Meyer on the sideline about Robinson's absence was Robinson allowed to return late in the second quarter. (Speaking to reporters this week, Lawrence said: "Bottom line is James is one of our best players and he's got to be on the field and we addressed it, and I feel like we're in a good spot and the whole team, we're good.")
This also comes after a massive controversy back in October that revolved around a video showing Meyer sitting in a bar/restaurant while a woman was seen dancing up to him.
The video incident happened after Meyer declined to accompany the team back to Jacksonville after their 24-21 loss against the Bengals.