The Jacksonville Jaguars do not owe former head coach Urban Meyer a buyout after firing him just 13 games into a five-year contract in 2021, On3.com reported Monday.
Meyer, who had filed a grievance over the Jaguars’ decision to terminate him “with cause,” lost his arbitration case in a decision that saves the Jaguars more than $30 million, per the report.
Meyer, who won three national championships in college football at Florida (2006, 2008) and Ohio State (2014), was fired by Jacksonville on Dec. 16, 2021, after a 2-11 start.
His disastrous NFL tenure included $300,000 in fines for violating offseason workout policies, a viral video with a woman in a bar that was not his wife, and skipping a team flight home from Cincinnati after a loss to the Bengals.
There was also an abuse allegation from Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo, who later described his alleged August 2021 encounter with Meyer to the Tampa Bay Times.
“I’m in a lunge position. Left leg forward, right leg back,” he said. “… Urban Meyer, while I’m in that stretch position, comes up to me and says, ‘Hey, dips—, make your f—ing kicks!’ And kicks me in the leg. …
“It certainly wasn’t as hard as he could’ve done it, but it certainly wasn’t a love tap. Truthfully, I’d register it as a five (out of 10). Which in the workplace, I don’t care if it’s football or not, the boss can’t strike an employee. And for a second, I couldn’t believe it actually happened. Pardon my vulgarity, I said, ‘Don’t you ever f—ing kick me again!’ And his response was, ‘I’m the head ball coach, I’ll kick you whenever the f— I want.'”
Meyer denied Lambo’s allegations.
Witnesses who testified in the arbitration case included Meyer, Lambo, former Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke, punter Logan Cooke and long snapper Ross Matiscik, per the report.
Meyer retains the right to challenge the ruling in court.
