Report: Jaguars, Meyer Fined For OTA Violations
The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of three teams set to be fined for organized team activity violations, the first OTAs held during the Urban Meyer and Trent Baalke era.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Jaguars have been fined $200,000, while Meyer has been fined $100,000 as the team's head coach. The San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys were fined $100,000, with head coach Kyle Shanahan and Mike McCarthy each being fined $50,000, according to Schefter.
As a result of the violation–in addition to the fine—the Jaguars must forfeit two OTA practices during the first week of the 2022 offseason. This also according to Schefter. The 49ers were ordered to cancel their final week of 2021 OTA's and the Cowboys must forfeit one OTA practice in the first week of the 2022 offseason.
The fine levied against the Jaguars and Meyer is more significant than the fines against the 49ers and Cowboys and their respective head coaches, suggesting Meyer and the Jaguars violated OTA protocols to a higher extent than their counterparts.
“The Jaguars are vigilant about practicing within the CBA rules and will re-emphasize offseason training rules as they relate to contact," the Jaguars said, via Mark Long of the Associated Press.
"If the arbitrator determines that a violation has occurred, or if the Executive Director of the NFLPA and the NFL Executive Vice President Labor & League Counsel agree that a violation has occurred, the Club’s next scheduled week of OTAs shall be canceled, excluding minicamps," the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, signed in 2020, reads.
"If the arbitrator finds, or the Executive Director of the NFLPA and the NFL Executive Vice President Labor and League Counsel agree, that two separate violations of these rules occurred in the same League Year, the Club’s next scheduled week of OTAs shall also be cancelled, excluding minicamps, and the Commissioner shall cause the Club to forfeit a fourth-round draft selection in the next draft in which the Club has such a selection. The penalties described in the immediately preceding two sentences shall be imposed whether or not the Commissioner imposes a fine under Subsection 8(d)(i) of this Article.
The Jaguars had complete attendance throughout nearly the entirety of OTAs, with only a few exceptions. As a result, the Jaguars frequently boasted 100% attendance at voluntary practices during June, from veterans all the way down to drafted and undrafted rookies.
Meyer is in his first year as an NFL coach and this offseason has been the first time he has experienced any aspect of the NFL. No other rookie head coaches have been fined for such violations, but no other coach is facing the jump from college to NFL that Meyer is. A spring that used to be filled with intense spring practices was swapped out for OTAs, something Meyer reflected on during minicamp in June.
“Yeah, I am used to the win-or-lose identifies the guys that—the number one quality we’re looking for is competitive spirit and that’s hard right now. But these guys, once again, are NFL athletes. If you’re not an elite competitor, you’re not going to be at this level. So, that’s something I’m looking forward to in the fall," Meyer said on June 14.
"But yeah, I think college is so much different because you’re getting a 17-year-old that you don’t know. And some belong in college football, some don’t. Say a guy has made it through high school and college, then he’s an NFL player. So, I’m learning, I expect it to be a little different, but if you’re not a competitor you certainly wouldn’t be here. So, it’s a little bit different, but I look forward to doing that. We’re going to do a bunch of it in training camp.”
