After weeks of anticipation by Jacksonville Jaguars fans, new head coach Urban Meyer made his staff official Thursday. However, not unlike his past staffs, this one will come with some controversy.
Among those named to Meyer’s staff was former University of Iowa strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle, who left the Hawkeyes program last June due to allegations of bullying and racism. Now, almost eight months later, he’s received an opportunity as the Jags’ director of sport performance.
Once the Jags made their staff announcements official via social media, it didn’t take long for reporters to point out Doyle’s past. With an official presser introducing several assistants following the announcement, the media didn’t waste any time asking about Doyle’s hiring.
Chris Doyle’s workouts put 13 Iowa players in the hospital. He wasn’t fired. He got an award & became CFB’s highest-paid strength coach.
Doyle was accused of racial bias by multiple Black players. He got a $1.1 million separation package & only took 8 months to find a new job. https://t.co/vritP8sAQg— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) February 11, 2021
In a nutshell, Meyer insists the hire was thoroughly discussed with general manager Trent Baalke and owner Shad Khan.
“I’ve known Chris for close to 20 years,” Meyer said Thursday via Zoom. “Our relationship goes back to when I was at Utah and he was the No. 1 strength coach. I vetted him thoroughly along with our general manager and owner. I feel great about the hire, about his expertise at that position. We vetted him thoroughly, and sports performance is going to be a high, high priority.”
The allegations against Doyle resulted in an investigation at Iowa last summer. The results revealed that various Black players felt they were victims of systematic racism and mistreatment during their time with the program.
“In sum, the program’s rules perpetuated racial or cultural biases and diminished the value of cultural diversity,” the report states. “The program over-monitored players to the point that they experienced heightened anxiety and maintained a culture that allowed a small group of coaches to demean players.”
The report was a result of multiple players calling out Doyle for racism. Eventually, on June 6, Doyle was placed on administrative leave as the investigation continued, but eventually he reached an agreement to part ways with the program. That agreement included a settlement worth just over $1 million and also included no admission of wrongdoing.
There are too many racial disparities in the Iowa football program. Black players have been treated unfairly for far too long.
— James Daniels (@jamsdans) June 6, 2020
Thank you James!! I remember when I used to wear my tank tops in the facility, I used to get called in the coaches office because I had too much tattoos and it wasn’t the “Iowa culture” or the “Iowa Way”. https://t.co/gYMtSDTMKR
— HaitianQ (@__haitianprince) June 6, 2020
Doyle also disputed the accusations against him in the following statement:
“I have been asked to remain silent, but that is impossible for me to do. There have been statements made about my behavior that are not true,” Doyle said. “I do not claim to be perfect. I have made mistakes, learned lessons, and like every American citizen, can do better. At no time have I ever crossed the line of unethical behavior or bias based upon race. I do not make racist comments, and I don’t tolerate people who do.”
Before the hiring of Meyer, some observers expressed concerns over controversies during his time at Ohio State and Florida. A key reason for those concerns is the fact that the Jags were coming out of a situation where Tom Coughlin was a known enemy of the NFLPA.
Now, the Jags might be trending in a similar direction, and Doyle’s hiring could provide some hurdles, as players such as Chris Conley have already taken note. Free agency, which begins in March, could be the first big test of how the decision will be viewed. That said, for a coach who is trying to win right away, Doyle’s addition is a puzzling hire, but only time will tell if it hinders Meyer’s success as a first-year head coach.