Urban Meyer has added another loss to his coaching record.
The former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach lost his grievance filed against the team, according to multiple reports. Meyer was seeking to be paid the remainder of his contract with Jacksonville after his firing with cause in Dec. 2021. On3’s Brett McMurphy first reported the news on May 18, while a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press that the case was settled in 2025.
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An independent arbiter ruled that the Jaguars were able to fire Meyer for cause and avoid paying more than $30 million for the final four years of his contract.
Best known for his success in the college ranks with the Florida Gators and Ohio State Buckeyes, Meyer was hired by the Jaguars in Jan. 2021 and would last just 13 games in the NFL before his dismissal. The coach had more than a few missteps along the way in the pros, but most notably for his handling of kicker, Josh Lambo.
It was the kicker who said he was kicked by the head coach before the team’s final preseason game. Lambo filed a lawsuit against Meyer in May 2022, alleging that the coach created a hostile work environment and the Jaguars did nothing to stop it. The kicker dismissed all claims against the organization in Feb. 2026, but the case against Meyer remains ongoing with a trial date set for Aug. 3, according to Duval County court records.
The 61-year-old currently works as a college football analyst for Fox Sports and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in Dec. 2025.
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Meyer’s history in the NFL might’ve been short-lived, but the coach packed plenty of issues into that tenure. Here’s a look at the timeline of how Meyer and the Jaguars got to this point.
Urban Meyer Jaguars timeline
April 2012: Reports of toxic locker room culture emerge
To best understand Meyer’s story and the legal issues that continue to swirl, we have to go back to April 2012. At the time, The Sporting News published a story that detailed the downfall of Florida Gators football, which gave a look behind the scenes.
Meyer’s final game as Florida coach came on Jan. 1, 2011 at the Outback Bowl as he opted to leave the program for health-related issues and to spend time with family.
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SN’s three-month investigation went public just over a year later, peeling back the curtain.
“Left in the wake of Meyer’s resignation were problems that can destroy a coaching career: drug use among players, a philosophy of preferential treatment for certain players, a sense of entitlement among all players and roster management by scholarship manipulation,” Matt Hayes wrote at the time.
The investigation explained the rise of a toxic culture and an established “Circle of Trust” that Meyer had with star players, a claim the coach denied.
Following a short stint as an analyst at ESPN, Meyer inked a deal to become the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes in Nov. 2011 and officially made his debut in the 2012 season.
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Aug. 2018: Meyer placed on administrative leave
It was the beginning of the end for Meyer as controversy found the coach, once again, as Ohio State investigated claims that Meyer’s “wife knew about allegations of domestic violence against an assistant coach years before the staff member was fired” the week prior, according to the Associated Press.
Meyer was suspended three games for mishandling the allegations made against former assistant coach Zach Smith and also misrepresented what he knew about the situation in a public statement in July.
Dec. 2018: Meyer steps away again
The 2018 season turned out to be Meyer’s last at Ohio State. On Dec. 4, 2018, he announced that he would be retiring for health reasons after the Rose Bowl and Ryan Day would take over as the Buckeyes’ head coach.
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Jan. 14, 2021: Jaguars hire Meyer as HC
The hiring, which was a surprise at the time, came after Jacksonville capped off a 1-15 season that saw them receive the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. That selection later became Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, who was seen as a lock to be the top pick long before the process began.
Feb. 12, 2021: Chris Doyle resigns
Hired to be part of Meyer’s staff as the director of sports performance, Doyle was accused of making racist remarks and belittling and bullying players as the strength coach at the University of Iowa.
Despite the immediate backlash, Meyer defended the hire.
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Doyle resigned from that post the following day.
July 1, 2021: Jaguars, Meyer fined by NFL
The Jaguars were one of three teams fined by the NFL for violating rules in the collective bargaining agreement for spring organized team activities (OTAs).
In addition to the $200,000 fine for the organization, Meyer was fined $100,000.
Aug. 2021: NFLPA launches investigation into vaccination comments
The union began an investigation into Meyer after he mentioned that COVID-19 vaccination status factored into roster cutdown decisions.
“Everyone was considered,” Meyer said at the time. “That was part of the production, let’s start talking about this and also, ‘Is he vaccinated or not?’ Can I say that that was a decision-maker? It was certainly in consideration.”
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Nothing more ever came of the investigation.
Oct. 2021: Viral bar video emerges, Meyer issues apology
Following a “Thursday Night Football” loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, a viral video surfaced on social media showing a woman who was not Meyer’s wife dancing on him at a bar.
The coach did not accompany his team back to Jacksonville after the game and opted to stay in his home state of Ohio. Meyer explained the decision was so he could spend time with his grandchildren and attend an event. Meyer held a press conference on the Monday after the game.
“I just apologized to the team for being a distraction,” Meyer said. “It’s stupid. I explained everything that happened and I should not have put myself in that position.”
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Meyer added that he apologized to his family, saying they were “upset” about the video.
Team owner Shad Khan released a statement in the aftermath, saying Meyer’s conduct was inexcusable and that he must “regain our trust and respect.”
Dec. 2021: Reports of tension
Between staff turnover and player frustration, the cracks were beginning to show. NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported that several players voiced their frustration to Rams players after a game, among other incidents.
The common complaint was that Meyer didn’t “treat them like adults.” The report also added that, “after opening the preseason with consecutive losses, for instance, sources say Meyer informed assistants that he was sick of being embarrassed and if the team didn’t start winning immediately, some of them wouldn’t be around for a second year.”
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Dec. 15, 2021: Josh Lambo accuses Meyer of physical abuse
Lambo opened up about his experience with Meyer in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, explaining that the coach kicked him before the team’s final preseason contest.
“I’m in a lunge position,” Lambo told Stroud. “Left leg forward, right leg back. Urban Meyer, while I’m in that stretch position, comes up to me and says, ‘Hey (expletive), make your (expletive) kicks!’ And kicks me in the leg.”
Lambo said he told Meyer to never kick him again and the coach doubled down.
“I’m the head ball coach, I’ll kick you whenever the (expletive) I want,” Lambo said was Meyer’s response.
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Dec. 16, 2021: Jaguars fire Meyer
The walls had finally closed in on Meyer and the Jaguars fired the coach with cause the day after Lambo’s accusations came to light.
Meyer ended his tenure in Jacksonville with a 2-11 record.
The coach would later file a grievance in an effort to collect the salary he was owed on the contract.
May 2022: Lambo files lawsuit
Lambo filed a lawsuit against Meyer in May 2022, alleging that the coach created a hostile work environment and the Jaguars did nothing to stop it.
The kicker dismissed all claims against the organization in Feb. 2026, but the case against Meyer remains ongoing with a trial date set for Aug. 3, according to Duval County court records.
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May 2026: Meyer loses grievance
An independent arbiter ruled that the Jaguars were justified in their firing of Meyer for cause. The decision ensures the team won’t owe the coach over $30 million for the remainder of his contract.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Urban Meyer loses grievance against Jaguars: Timeline of events
