NFL report: Urban Meyer creating tension in Jacksonville amid Jaguars losing season

The beginning of the Urban Meyer era has been anything but smooth thus far for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Meyer’s first year as an NFL head coach has been filled with distractions off the field and disappoint results on the field. Now, there is even more tension rising between Meyer and the Jaguars.

According to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, Meyer has had multiple incidents over recent weeks that have caused even more tension with the Jaguars organization.

“Months of tension surrounding Jaguars coach Urban Meyer has boiled over with multiple run-ins with players and other coaches in recent weeks, sources say, renewing questions in league circles about whether Meyer’s stay in Jacksonville could end after just one tumultuous season,” Pelissero said.

The Jaguars are just 2-10 this season. In the previous two weeks, Pelissero reports that there have been three incidents that have caused tension between the Jaguars and Meyer.

Meyer’s continued criticism of the wide receiver room forced veteran wideout Marvin Jones to storm out of the facility, only to later come back and have a “heated argument” with Meyer. The former college football national champion coach has also reportedly been delivering messages revolving around Meyer being a winner and his assistants being losers. Meyer also benched starting running back James Robinson after a first quarter fumble last week against the Rams. He said that he did not bench Robinson, instead blaming an injury. But that was not the case, leading to strong comments from many players, including quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Meyer’s future in Jacksonville is undoubtedly uncertain at this point. If the team did elect to move on, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson has already named some possible candidates to take over.

“Darrell Bevell, interim coach for Lions last year, in addition to Charlie Strong, are the prime in-house candidates if Jaguars move on from embattled coach Urban Meyer, per sources,” Wilson tweeted. “Meyer’s relationships with staff and players are frayed beyond repair, sources say.”

The tension only adds to a disappointing year for the Jaguars, Meyer

Earlier in the season, a video surfaced of Meyer that led to a ton of distractions for the organization. Jaguars owner Shad Khan said after that incident that Meyer would have to “regain our trust,” but that he still believes in Meyer and his current coaching staff.

In addition to those distractions, Meyer was also linked to some open college football head coaching positions in recent weeks. Amid those rumors, a report emerged saying that Meyer is fully committed to the Jaguars, despite all of the tension this year has seen.

“Per a league source, Jaguars coach Urban Meyer has no interest in taking another college coaching job and remains committed to rebuilding the franchise,” ESPN’s Michael DiRocco tweeted.

The Jaguars are currently on a four-game losing streak. Jacksonville is tied with the Houston Texans for the worst record in the AFC North. Meyer has five games remaining in his first year as the Jaguars head coach. Jacksonville takes on the Titans, Texans and Jets over the next three weeks before ending the season against the Patriots and Colts.