Urban Meyer Suffers One More Embarrassing NFL Loss to End Jaguars' Worst Chapter

The Urban Meyer era is at long last put to rest in Duval County.

Dec 12, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer walks from the field after the game as quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) follows against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- What is one more woeful and embarassing NFL loss for Urban Meyer?

Meyer, whose short tenure as Jacksonville Jaguars head coach ended in controversy in 2021, took the Jaguars to battle in recent years over his firing. According to Brett McMurphy of On3.com, the Jaguars officially won the arbitration case, justifying Meyer's firing "for cause" and preventing Meyer from getting the rest of his deal that would have otherwise been owed to him -- a whopping $30 million.

Nov 28, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer walks the sideline during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Consider the ruling a form of damages for the Jaguars, who trusted Meyer with the franchise in their first-ever year with the No. 1 pick. Meyer's tenure ended in flames, but it was marred by missteps and controversies throughout his short and foul tenure.

The fact that he even had the gall to take this to arbitration is every bit as stunning as the baffling moves and comments he made as the Jaguars' head coach. But the ruling does officially serve as Meyer's final NFL loss, and the final nail in the coffin of the worst chapter in Jaguars' franchise history.

Sep 19, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer reacts against the Denver Broncos at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Meyer Chapter Ends

The amount of things Meyer did to deserve being fired with cause that were actually public and reported are enough to fill a book. It started shortly after he was hired, with the Jaguars announcing the hiring of former Iowa strength coach Chris Doyle as a part of Meyer's first staff. Doyle, of course, was accused of bullying and racial discrimination at Iowa, and his tenure with the Jaguars lasted all of a few days.

It didn't stop there. Meyer and the Jaguars signed Tim Tebow to play tight end in May, serving as an unwelcomed and embarrassing distraction when the team was making Trevor Lawrence the No. 1 pick. Tebow, as expected, was not anywhere close to being worthy of a 90-man roster spot and did not stick with the team through the preseason after he was cut following a horrific performance against the Cleveland Browns.

Oct 31, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer watches pregame warmups against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Meyer and the Jaguars were also fined during the only offseason program he will ever be a part of at the NFL level. The Jaguars were fined $200,000 and Meyer $100,000 for contact violations during offseason practices, and the NFL also revoked two OTA practices from the Jaguars. This was all before an official snap was taken.

It didn't stop there. Meyer caused friction on and off the field with most members of the coaching staff, locker room, and organization as a whole -- and all it led to were losses. The Jaguars were blown out by an otherwise awful Houston Texans team in the opener, and it never got better from there. By the time Meyer was fired, the Jaguars were 2-11 and clearly the worst team in the NFL.

Nov 28, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer looks on during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

This does not even mention the two most notorius scandals from the Meyer era. Firstly, he did not travel with the team back to Jacksonville after a Thursday Night Football loss in Week 4 to the Cincinnati Bengals. He stayed behind in Ohio, and was eventually filmed looking cozy with a younger woman. Meyer would deny wrongdoing, before more videos were released revealing that he had lied to the public and the team.

Former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, who was a rookie in 2021, said last year that this was when Meyer officially lost the locker room.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer talks with members of the media after the team selected Clemson running back Travis Etienne with their 25th. pick in the first round of the NFL Draft late Thursday night, April 29, 2021. The Jacksonville Jaguars held a draft night party at TIAA Bank Field in anticipation of taking former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first pick of the first round of the NFL draft overseen by the Jaguars' new head coach Urban Meyer. Jki 042921 Jagsdraft | Bob Self/Florida Times-Union via Imagn Content Services, LLC

"It's like he was just being very hypocritical. Because I remember, like, one time, y'all probably seen the video we had played the Bengals, and he stayed. He had stayed out there ... he didn't travel with the team. He just stayed," Etienne said.

"Then they got him on video, and then, like, he comes and try to address each meeting room individually. And basically he was just in there cappin. Then, like, you like, they got the video out there, so it was just crazy to see. And I feel like once that happened, like, he lost the locker room, and it was just straight down here from there."

Then there was the Josh Lambo incident. In December, accusations became public of an August incident in which former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo claimed Meyer kicked during warmups. which he reported to Jaguars' legal counsel.

Sep 19, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo (4) against the Denver Broncos at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

This does not even include Meyer forcing a meltdown from former Jaguars receiver Marvin Jones, any of the egregious James Robinson comments and decisions, and the fact that he was seen as the worst thing to ever happen to Trevor Lawrence's career.

The Jaguars finally have the right head coach in Liam Coen, and the Meyer circus is behind them. But it was only fitting for him to land one more 30-point loss before he rode off into the FOX Sports Saturday broadcast sunset.