Urban Meyer’s tenure as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars could be going a whole heck of a lot better. On the field, the team is 2-10, have lose four in a row, and look like a squad that has gotten more and more listless as the season has gone on.
But somehow, these issues pale in comparison to what’s gone on off the field. There was Meyer’s trip to Columbus that occurred after the team lose on Thursday Night Football to the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this year that drew waves of scrutiny and led to whispers that he was on thin ice, for example. And now, a report by Tom Pelissero of NFL.com indicates that things are growing even more tense as Meyer’s “hard-charging and sometimes condescending approach” has led to tensions boiling over.
There are a number of anecdotes in the piece that indicate Meyer’s standing with his players and coaches keeps taking hits. One story, in particular, involves Meyer calling out his coaches in a way that makes it seem like he does not realize he coaches a team that is 2-10.
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.
A constant complaint among Jaguars players is that Meyer apparently “doesn’t treat them like adults,” while it’s not unusual for him to have “tense interactions” with members of his coaching staff. As for their efforts to win game number three, they’ll have quite the task ahead of them on Sunday, as they travel to Tennessee to take on the division-leading Titans.
