Urban Meyer’s fractured relationship with Jaguars players, coaches could jeopardize his future with the franchise

Owner Shad Khan has no plans to leave head coach Urban Meyer at this time, league sources have said, although many in the Jaguars organization believe the damage from Meyer’s actions last weekend will eventually doom his tenure there and leave the property with no choice but to move forward by 2022. Khan weighed all options with the NFL coach for the first time struggling before settling on a harsh public statement about Meyer. Obviously, any further misstep would have significant consequences.

Meyer’s problems with interaction with coaches and players, as well as low morale from a difficult preseason, were already significant issues even before the start of the season, sources said. The Jaguars’ 0-4 start, struggles with in-game adjustments, and Meyer’s difficulty adjusting to the NFL coaching lifestyle have been causes for consternation for those who work with and for him and the left fighting for respect after losing Thursday night in Cincinnati.

And the situation became considerably darker when Meyer chose not to return to Jacksonville after that loss, only to be caught partying Saturday night in Columbus and in a compromising situation with a woman who was not his. wife. Moreover, Meyer’s decision not to tackle the situation head-on, with the whole team, at the start of the week, only added to the collective mistrust, shortening the work week and preventing the concentration of focus. ‘trying to end a 19-game losing streak. The players and coaches were enraged by the whole situation, unable to understand how Meyer spent his weekend under these circumstances and believing that he had abdicated any ability to continue leading this team, whether Khan keeps him in his job or no.

“He’s not coming back from that,” said a league source very close to several players on the Jaguars squad. “There wasn’t a lot of self-confidence in that locker room before that happened. Now? It’s over. The guys are laughing at him. He’s lost any respect he once had. They think. that he abandoned them. “

A source close to several Jags staff said an already fractured group was further divided by Meyer’s bizarre behavior at a time when the season was already in crisis. They felt betrayed by his decision not to return with the team to Jacksonville and were even more blinded by Meyer’s initial reaction to the images appearing on the internet, begging the coaches to speak to the players about the situation, canceling their meeting. Monday and waiting for Wednesday. to talk to the whole list.

“It was pretty insane,” as one staff member said to a confidant. “He put (the assistant coaches) in a terrible situation.”

When Meyer addressed the whole squad, some players and coaches were put off by his initial remarks about his marriage and personal situation, rather than focusing on the damage he caused by not returning. not with the team, with his inability to connect with them. in the aftermath of the scandal only worsens the divide. His explanation for his actions on Saturday night seemed hollow for many of the top players on the roster.

“You can’t make morality a central theme of your leadership message and then do it,” said a Jaguars starting agent. “It undermines everything. You can’t be holier than you and do what I say and then do this. You don’t get up from something like that. These players see through it. I can’t believe that. they didn’t send it back. “

The agent for another key Jaguars player said: “He’s the laughing stock in this locker room right now. (My client) said he was a con artist. They think he’s a scammer. How not? aren’t you going home with your team? “

Getting over that feeling won’t be easy, especially with early returns of the offseason and not very favorable training camp for Meyer as he attempts what is a tricky leap from college to the NFL even in the best. circumstances. Khan’s statement last week called Meyer’s conduct “inexcusable” and spoke of the need for the coach to “regain our trust and respect”, and it is clear that the property will be watching everything. he says and does closely to move forward. His ability to lead this team on a weekly basis and to win games is already in great question.