Why Did Urban Meyer Lose His NFL Job? Why Was He Fired?

College football commentator Urban Meyer had a career as a college football coach spanning from 2001 to 2018, coaching four different teams during his tenure. He also had a stint with NFL but it concluded surprisingly quickly. His NFL tenure was punctuated with various controversies and finally came to a swift and disgraceful end.

Meyer served as Head Coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, in what was supposed to be a five-year contract, but was fired within 11 months. From the hiring of a controversial conditioning coach to physical abuse allegations, Meyer’s stint in the NFL was short and marred.

He was fired in December of 2021, hours after kicker Josh Lambo accused Meyer of physical abuse. Lambo claimed that Meyer kicked him during practice drills and reported the incident to his agent. Jaguars owner Shad Khan fired Urban Meyer early the next morning when the accusations surfaced.

Since 1980, only 2 head coaches didn’t make it through their first NFL season

Urban Meyer (fired by Jaguars, 2021)
Bobby Petrino (resigned from Falcons, 2007) pic.twitter.com/quu59BMe8W

— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) December 16, 2021

While these accusations were what broke the camel’s back, controversies surrounding Meyer began long before that. It all started with him hiring strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle, who had come under fire for racist remarks and bullying during his time with the Hawkeyes. Doyle resigned within 48 hours.

The NFL fined Meyer $100,000 and the Jaguars $200,000 for violating league rules on contact during off-season practices in July of 2021. The worst controversy of his career, however, came after videos of a married Meyer dancing inappropriately with a woman in his restaurant went viral. Khan described Urban Meyer’s conduct in the video as “inexcusable,” saying that the coach “must regain our trust and respect.” Meyer’s poor record as an NFL coach did nothing to mitigate the damage.

Urban Meyer’s Record as an NFL Coach

While Meyer’s NFL career was marred by controversies, he enjoyed a storied career marked by significant accomplishments as a college coach. Notably, he clinched two NCAA national college football championships at the University of Florida and a third at Ohio State. Additionally, Meyer successfully transformed both Bowling Green and Utah into formidable contenders within their respective conferences.

Should Ohio State win the Rose Bowl, Urban Meyer will finish his coaching career with:

– 82-9 record at Ohio St

– 187-32 career record

– 3 National Championships

– 3 Big Ten Championships

– 2 SEC Championships

– 11-3 in Bowl Games

This was one of the greatest coaches ever. pic.twitter.com/5cGR3EahZr

— CFB Home (@CFBHome) December 4, 2018

Meyer’s short thirteen-game tenure places him in a tie with Lou Holtz and Bobby Petrino for the fourth-shortest coaching tenures in NFL history. During his short stint, Meyer achieved a record of 2–11 (.154). With a winning percentage of .154, Meyer holds the dubious distinction of having the worst winning percentage of any non-interim head coach since Cam Cameron, who posted a .063 winning percentage with the Miami Dolphins in 2007.