Jaguars Star Names Difference Between Urban Meyer, Doug Pederson

With training camp underway, the Jaguars are becoming accustomed to a new head coach for the second season in a row. In 2021, Jacksonville was led by Urban Meyer, who was fired in December after a tumultuous season full of turmoil and abysmal on-field performance. 

Fourth-year linebacker Josh Allen was asked if there is a difference between new coach Doug Pederson, who was hired in February, and Meyer in a meeting with the media Tuesday. Per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, Allen laughed and responded, “yeah.”

“It’s a professional locker room,” Allen said. “It’s a professional setting. He’s talking to us like grown men.”

Meyer has been called out for fostering a “toxic” work environment when at the helm of the Jacksonville club. A Jaguars employee told The Athletic in March that under Meyer, the team was “the most toxic environment” he’d ever been a part of and it was “not even close.” Meyer also allegedly belittled staff and players, threatened to fire them regularly and berated a player so badly in front of staff members that the player cried. 

Kicker Josh Lambo is suing the organization, seeking his $3.5 million salary plus damages for emotional distress caused by Jacksonville and Meyer. Lambo alleges that his performance suffered at the hands of Meyer’s verbal abuse,  as well as an incident where the former coach allegedly kicked him during practice after the kicker missed field goals during two preseason games. Meyer denied Lambo’s “characterization” of the incident and called it “completely inaccurate.” Earlier this month, the Jaguars motioned to dismiss the lawsuit, per Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic. 

Pederson joins the franchise on a journey to somehow salvage a team that went 2–11 under Meyer and finished the season with a 3–14 record. The 54-year-old previously worked as the head coach of the Eagles for five seasons and won Super Bowl LII with the club. He was fired by Philadelphia in January ’21 after a rocky ’20 season.  

Allen will look to remain a key piece in Jacksonville’s defense, as the edge finished the ’21 season with 46 solo tackles for a total of 71. Taken No. 7 in the ’19 draft by the Jags, the 25-year-old finished his rookie campaign with a Pro Bowl appearance. 

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