Some Jacksonville Jaguars players are anonymously ripping head coach Urban Meyer after the married 57-year-old grandfather was caught in v...
Some Jacksonville Jaguars players are anonymously ripping head coach Urban Meyer after the married 57-year-old grandfather was caught in viral videos canoodling with a young woman at the Columbus, Ohio bar he owns following last week's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The first video shows a young woman dancing between Meyer's legs as he was sitting on a bar stool. The second, taken from a different angle, shows Meyer's right hand on or near her bottom.
Wednesday, Meyer told reporters he had a 'very pointed conversation' with players 'owning a stupid mistake.'
Reports began surfacing Tuesday that the decorated former Ohio State coach was having credibility issues within the Jaguars' locker room after Meyer canceled a team meeting amid fallout from the viral video.
'He has zero credibility in that stadium,' one Jaguars player told reporter Michael Silver. 'He had very little to begin with.'
'He even canceled the team meeting,' the player told Silver. 'He was too scared.'
Some Jacksonville Jaguars players are anonymously ripping head coach Urban Meyer after the married 57-year-old grandfather was caught in viral videos canoodling with a young woman at the Columbus, Ohio bar he owns following last week's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals
A video showing a blonde woman dancing in close proximity to Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer has become viral on Twitter
Jaguars players are now anonymously ripping coach Urban Meyer to members of the media
Reports began surfacing Tuesday that the decorated former Ohio State coach was having credibility issues within the Jaguars' locker room after Meyer canceled a team meeting amid fallout from the viral video. 'He has zero credibility in that stadium,' one Jaguars player told reporter Michael Silver . 'He had very little to begin with'
Meyer eventually did address the issue with his players, vowing to 'own it' - a motto he uses regularly and has inscribed around the Jaguars practice facility.
However, Meyer's attempt at accountability may have been met with skepticism. After Meyer left the meeting, many in the room burst out laughing according to one player.
'We looked at him like, WTF?' Silver was told. 'Right when he left everyone started dying laughing. And he knew it.'
There's even a chance that the scandal could cost Meyer his job after just four regular season games.
'According to two Jacksonville sources, there are many closed-door meetings happening over the last two days in the football offices and none of them have anything to do with the Titans,' tweeted sportswriter Michael Lombardi. 'Stay tuned. This might get ugly.'
Fan reaction has been mixed.
Some on social media expressed shock that Meyer could lose his job after only four games, while some are already calling for him to take the expected opening at the University of Southern California.
One fan on social media pointed out that the bar where Meyer was seen fondling the woman on Friday night actually has a mural of him alongside his wife, Shelley.
NFL reporter Michael Lombardi hinted that the problems for Urban Meyer may not be over
The Twitter account @TheOllieC shared a screenshot from an unnamed Instagram story, in which a woman is seen next to Urban Meyer with the picture captioned 'WHO IS THIS HE KEEPS FLIRTING WITH ME'
On Monday, Meyer said he's concerned the videos could have long-term ramifications with players he has asked to buy into his makeover.
'I have a very good relationship with our players,' Meyer said. 'I've dealt with this, not on the other side but with staff members and with other things, and I've dealt with it. So to say I'm concerned, yeah, I am concerned. But I just got to do right.'
Meyer addressed the team again on Wednesday to offer another apology, according to ESPN.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan has publicly reprimanded Meyer for the coach's 'inexcusable' behavior.
Khan released a statement Tuesday condemning Meyer's actions, which were captured on video and released on social media.
One shows a young woman dancing close to Meyer's lap as he sits on a bar stool, a clip that quickly went viral. A second, more damning video appears to show Meyer touching the woman's behind.
'I have addressed this matter with Urban. Specifics of our conversation will be held in confidence. What I will say is his conduct last weekend was inexcusable,' Khan said.
'I appreciate Urban's remorse, which I believe is sincere. Now, he must regain our trust and respect. That will require a personal commitment from Urban to everyone who supports, represents or plays for our team. I am confident he will deliver.'
Meyer responded to Khan's statement during a radio interview on Tuesday night.
'I made a comment when I got here about the logo, about an owner who wants to win in the worst way,' Meyer said. 'That's one of the reasons I came here. I just, I admire that guy so much. ... And so, that's what makes me so angry at myself that I lived that, I believe that and I failed.'
Jaguars owner Shad Khan has publicly reprimanded Meyer for the coach's 'inexcusable' behavior. Khan released a statement Tuesday condemning Meyer's actions, which were captured on video and released on social media
Khan released a statement condemning Meyer's actions, which were captured on video and released on social media. One shows a young woman dancing close to Meyer's lap as he sits on a bar stool, a clip that quickly went viral. A second, more damning video appears to show Meyer touching the woman's behind
One thing that stood out to NFL reporters was Meyer's decision to skip Thursday's team flight - something league coaches are not known to do under any circumstances
The video sparked rumors of infidelity on Meyer's part. He has been married to wife Shelley Mather Meyer for 35 years.
Shelley has made it clear that she's aware of the incident, tweeting 'meanwhile, I am babysitting' and posting pictures of her grandchildren taking a bath in response to a viral photo from her husband's night out.
Meyer didn't fly back with his winless team following Jacksonville's 24-21 loss at Cincinnati on Thursday night, a highly unusual move for any coach. Instead, he remained in his home state of Ohio to see family members and went to dinner Friday at his restaurant/bar in Columbus, Urban Meyer's Pint House.
'I kinda wonder something: Do fans recognize how incredibly unusual it was for Urban Meyer to not fly home with the team last week?' tweeted The Athletic's Stephen Holder. 'Like, in 16 years on the NFL beat, I can't recall a situation remotely similar.'
The Jaguars (0-4) have lost 19 consecutive games, seven shy of tying the NFL record set by Tampa Bay in 1977. Meyer insists they have shown dramatic improvements since Week 1.
One fan on social media pointed out that the bar where Meyer was seen fondling the woman on Friday night actually has a mural of him alongside his wife, Shelley (upper right)
Not do fans think Meyer will be fired, but many see him moving on to take the USC opening
More pictures of Meyer drinking next to other women surfaced shortly after the video became viral. One twitter user joked that the Jaguars coach could lie to his wife and claim that the blonde woman in this photo is actually long-haired Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence (right)
Wife Shelley Meyer shared pictures of herself playing with her two grandchildren and captioned them 'Meanwhile I am babysitting #MyChoice #MimiRules #BuddyDeservedANightOut.'
Controversy is nothing new to Meyer, who has been accused of protecting former Ohio State and University of Florida assistant coach Zach Smith as he faced allegations of domestic violence.
The Buckeyes suspended Meyer for three games shortly before the 2018 season for mishandling Smith's misconduct that included domestic violence allegations, a drug problem and poor job performance.
An investigation turned up 'a pattern of troubling behavior by Zach Smith: promiscuous and embarrassing sexual behavior, drug abuse, truancy, dishonesty, financial irresponsibility, a possible NCAA violation, and a lengthy police investigation into allegations of criminal domestic violence and cybercrimes,' according to summary investigative findings released by the university.
Meyer fired Smith at Ohio State in 2018 when the assistant was charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass after a dispute with his ex-wife Courtney.
Zach Smith pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in October of 2018 in connection with his arrest in July of that year. He also signed a consent agreement and domestic violence civil protection order preventing him from having contact with Courtney for three years
The arrest led to the revelation that Smith was previously accused of beating her when he worked as an assistant under Meyer at the University of Florida in 2009, when Courtney was pregnant, and again in 2015, when the couple was living near Columbus, Ohio. Courtney later told Stadium.com's Brett McMurphy that she believed Meyer was aware of the attacks.
Zach Smith pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in October of 2018 in connection with his arrest in July of that year. He also signed a consent agreement and domestic violence civil protection order preventing him from having contact with Courtney for three years.
Smith violated that protection order in 2019 and was sentenced to 180 days in Jail in February of 2020.
Courtney alleged her then-husband shoved her against a wall and put his hands around her neck in 2015, one of several alleged domestic incidents involving the couple that came to light after he was fired.
Meyer ultimately kept his job, but stepped down after the season in what was his second retirement from coaching.
The Toledo native has been one of the biggest names in college football over the last two decades, winning a pair of national titles at Florida and a third at OSU.
Courtney Smith alleged her then-husband Zack shoved her against a wall and put his hands around her neck in 2015, one of several alleged domestic incidents involving the couple that came to light after he was fired
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