JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jaguars owner Shad Khan issued a public reprimand of coach Urban Meyer for Meyer’s behavior over the weekend.
“I have addressed this matter with Urban. Specifics of our conversation will be held in confidence,” Khan said in a statement. “What I will say is his conduct last weekend was inexcusable. I appreciate Urban’s remorse, which I believe is sincere. Now, he must regain our trust and respect. That will require a personal commitment from Urban to everyone who supports, represents or plays for our team. I am confident he will deliver.”
Meyer, 57, apologized in a team meeting on Monday about his actions last Friday, one day after the Jaguars’ 24-21 loss at Cincinnati.
Meyer did not fly back to Jacksonville with the team after that game and instead went to Columbus to visit with his grandchildren. Meyer said that he and family members went to his restaurant — Urban Meyer’s Pint House — on Friday night and that people at a nearby event asked to take photos with him. Meyer said he should have left when people tried to get him to dance with them.
A nine-second video showing Meyer sitting with his back to the bar in an Ohio State pullover while a young woman danced close to his lap was posted to social media Saturday night.
“I just apologized to the team and staff for being a distraction,” Meyer said Monday. “Just stupid, and so I explained everything that happened and owned it. Just stupid. Should not have myself in that kind of position.”
Roughly an hour after Meyer’s Monday news conference, another video emerged on social media that appeared to show Meyer groping a woman’s bottom while he was sitting at the bar. The woman appeared to be wearing the same clothes — jeans and a white top — as the woman in the first viral video.
Meyer is in his first year with the Jaguars after leading Florida and Ohio State to three national titles. The slogan he has chosen for the rebuild of one of the league’s worst franchises is “Own it,” and he admitted Monday that he’s not sure how this incident will impact his leadership with the team.
The Jaguars are 0-4 and have lost 19 consecutive games dating to a victory over the Indianapolis Colts in the 2020 season opener. The Jaguars host Tennessee on Sunday; they have lost seven of the past eight meetings with the Titans. A loss to Tennessee would give the Jaguars the second-longest losing streak in NFL history — only Tampa Bay has a longer losing streak (26 consecutive losses over the 1976-77 seasons).