Category: Shad Khan

Report: Jags to claim Urban Meyer was fired for cause, don’t intend to pay remaining contract

The Jags and Urban Meyer seem to be heading towards a legal situation about his contract payout, according to ESPN.

The Jacksonville Jaguars fired coach Urban Meyer on Thursday according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (though Shad Khan’s camp claims it happened earlier), and now Schefter is reporting that they will claim it was for cause. As a result, the Jags intend to not pay Meyer for the remainder of his contract, which was a five-year deal in total.

The report, which ESPN’s Jeff Darlington is also contributing to, claims that the Jags’ reason for withholding the guaranteed money left on the contract isn’t tied to a single incident, but multiple ones. With that being the case, the Jags believe that Meyer’s early firing was justified.

Meyer had his share of incidents while in the NFL starting with the hiring of Chris Doyle to lead the Jags strength and conditioning program, who previously dealt with allegations of racist behavior and bullying at the University of Iowa. However, when considering Khan allegedly was involved with the hiring process, it would seem that particular incident may not be one the Jags use against Meyer — if at all.

However, other situations took place afterward like Meyer getting himself and the team fined by the NFLPA for organized team activity violations. There was also an Ohio bar incident where Meyer was caught with a woman dancing on him that wasn’t his wife while touching her below the waist. A big deal was made about the situation because he didn’t fly home with his team afterward as they lost a Thursday night game against Cincinnati.

There is also an NFL Network report that has surfaced about him challenging his assistants while calling them “losers,” and arguing with players such as receivers Marvin Jones Jr., who didn’t appreciate Meyer’s criticisms of the pass-catchers.

Then, just this week, a report came out from the Tampa Bay Times where former kicker Josh Lambo came out to say Meyer kicked him and called him out of his name. Following that report, Lambo also told First Coast News that Meyer wasn’t fit to be the Jags leader and that he didn’t like how he treated other players.

As pointed out by ESPN, the Jags’ decision to claim Meyer was fired for cause could start a negotiation period by both sides to settle on a figure. This would allow the lawyers of the Jags and Meyer to meet each other in the middle (or close to it) and avoid a legal situation that drags out.

Jags owner Shad Khan releases a statement on Urban Meyer’s firing

In his statement on his decision to fire Urban Meyer, Jags owner Shad Khan was hoping his hand-picked HC would get his act together and it never happened.

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan met his breaking point with coach Urban Meyer and fired him Thursday, likely ending his NFL career at just 13 games. Meyer’s career in the NFL was one full of controversial moments from the start, and he never could steer away from being in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.

However, it appears a report from the Tampa Bay Times was the last straw, as former Jags kicker Josh Lambo claimed that Meyer kicked him and called him out of his name in the Jags’ Week 3 preseason game in Dallas. It seems as if it was a tactic to make Lambo perform better, however, the veteran let Meyer know he didn’t appreciate being kicked, and the first-year head coach told him that he could do whatever he wanted.

The story of course went viral on the web and garnered many eyes, which made Khan speed up a firing process that was bound to happen anyway. With such an important decision being made, Khan released a statement afterward on the situation, which stated that offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell would be the interim coach to finish the season.

Darrell Bevell will serve as interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the balance of the 2021 season.  Darrell succeeds Urban Meyer.  After deliberation over many weeks and a thorough analysis of the entirety of Urban’s tenure with our team, I am bitterly disappointed to arrive at the conclusion that an immediate change is imperative for everyone.  I informed Urban of the change this evening.  As I stated in October, regaining our trust and respect was essential.  Regrettably, it did not happen.

Trent Baalke continues as our general manager and will work with Darrell to ensure that our team will be inspired and competitive while representing Jacksonville proudly over our final four games of the season.  In the spirit of closure and recharging our players, staff and fan base, I will not comment further until some point following the conclusion of the NFL season.

As Khan mentioned, Meyer was tasked with earning the organization’s trust back in October after a video of him with a woman that wasn’t his wife dancing on his lap went viral. The video, where Meyer was seen touching her below the waist, surfaced after Meyer lost his fourth straight game in Cincinnati and didn’t fly back home with the team.

However, Meyer never got it together, and a report from NFL Network claimed that he was the key figure behind a dysfunctional work environment where he wasn’t getting along with players or his staff. The report mentioned an awkward meeting where Meyer challenged his assistants to defend their résumés while calling them “losers” and mentioned an argument with receiver Marvin Jones Jr., who didn’t appreciate criticisms Meyer placed on the receivers.

Of course, there were many other incidents, too, that brought it to this point and now the Jags are on the coaching market for the second consecutive season. Only time will tell what direction they go from here, but for now, the team is Bevell’s to lead.

Jags owner Shad Khan discusses need for stadium improvements

Khan said he wants Jacksonville to compete in the bidding process for high-profile games like the College Football Playoff.

It has been 10 years since Shad Khan took over ownership of the Jacksonville Jaguars from the Weaver family, and while that era has included many positives for the city, including development projects in the downtown area surrounding the stadium, it has also led to stagnation from the team. Khan has been widely criticized for prioritizing his real estate dealings over putting a winning product on the field, but regardless, it’s hard to deny that his vision makes sense for the city and franchise.

Speaking to the media on Monday afternoon, Khan discussed some of his plans for the future of both, including the incoming Four Seasons Resort near the stadium, which received approval from the city earlier this year after the failure of the Lot J proposal.

However, one of the more interesting notes from his speech was what he said about the stadium. Though state of the art when it was completed in 1995, TIAA Bank Field now lags behind many of the palaces that have opened in recent years. It has seen major renovations, most recently in 2016, but those didn’t fundamentally change the fan experience.

Fans have been vocal about having renovations similar to those at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, which added awnings to keep the crowd shaded while maintaining an open-air stadium.

“We need a stadium that not only keeps Florida-Georgia, but we’ve got to think about really to get more use in Jacksonville,” Khan said. “The college playoff is going to be expanding, we got to have a stadium that qualifies for that. There’s no reason we can’t have Jacksonville get into the mix of it. So, all of those events, how do we make it more? And it’s not the stadium usage, but it’s also getting more people to this town.”

Aside from hosting a Super Bowl after the 2004 season, Jacksonville has largely been absent from the bidding process for games like that, including the College Football Playoff national championship. As Khan points out, the playoff is likely to expand in the coming years and could open the door for more bidding opportunities for the games.

Florida-Georgia is also a major moneymaker for the city, and while there has been frequent discussion about returning to a home-and-home setup, which would have numerous negative impacts on the city financially, Jacksonville reached an agreement earlier this year to keep the game at TIAA Bank Field through 2023, at least, with the option to extend the contract two years after that.

Only time will tell if this is hot air from the Jags’ owner, but it’s clear that stadium enhancements are among his top priorities in the coming years.

Shad Khan looking to avoid an abrupt decision on Urban Meyer

Shad Khan has avoided making abrupt coaching decisions for the Jags and wants to follow that trend with Urban Meyer. Despite that, he says he does believe the Jags are better than a two-win team.

When it comes to the man hired to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars, owner Shad Khan won’t make an abrupt decision on coach Urban Meyer who has been in the NFL headlines for all of the wrong reasons lately. Instead, at his 10-year Jags ownership anniversary celebration on Monday night, Khan said he will sit back and assess things as he’s given other coaches the luxury of patience in the past.

“I want to do the right thing for the team. I want to do the right thing for the city,” Khan said, according to ESPN. “That, to me, is way more important than just acting helter-skelter on emotion. I think we have a history of really looking at the facts and then really doing the right thing.

“Gus Bradley was here four years. Doug Marrone was here four years. It was wins and losses and this is a little bit different but, you know, I’m going to reflect on all of that and do what’s the right thing for the team and the right thing for the city.”

Khan made these statements after a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that largely cast Jags coach Urban Meyer as the root of dysfunction within the organization. It went into detail about incidents that Meyer had both with his coaching staff and players.

The most alarming incident mentioned in the report described a meeting where Meyer gathered his staff together and asked them to defend their résumés while calling them “losers.” Meyer denied that, however, after the Jags’ 20-0 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

The report also mentioned an argument that Meyer had with receiver Marvin Jones Jr., who was upset with the criticism that Meyer showed towards the receivers corps. In the report, Pelissero said Jones left the facility, but came back after staff members reached out to him. Meyer also denied this Sunday and told the media that he had a simple discussion with Jones about a report on the receivers instead.

Additionally, the report discussed the Week 13 benching of James Robinson, which Meyer blamed Bernie Parmalee for. However, Pelissero said that the decision to keep Robinson on the sideline was Meyer’s, though he said he doesn’t micromanage personnel decisions and leaves them up to his assistants.

According to the Associated Press, Khan also let it be known that he wasn’t necessarily looking at Meyer’s tenure as a four-year plan and that it was “absolutely a trap I don’t believe falling in.”

“The plan is you need to start winning now and tell me what you need and that’s what we’re going to do,” Khan said. “I feel we have a roster that is far better than winning two games.”

Khan has veered away from firing coaches during the regular season aside from Gus Bradley, who Eugene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union says was let go early at his own request. That said, it was unlikely for Khan to make an early decision involving Meyer, to begin with.

The team, which has especially struggled offensively, has four games starting with a home game against the Houston Texans this Sunday. Following that, they have away games against the New York Jets and New England Patriots, then will have one last game against the Indianapolis Colts which will take place at home on Jan. 9.

Shad Khan expresses faith in HC Urban Meyer despicable rocky start

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says a source has informed him that Shad Khan is “all in” on Urban Meyer, but it’s simply too soon to tell if he should be.

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t get off to the start they would’ve liked but were able to go into their bye week with some momentum. Of course, that’s because they were able to end a 20-game losing streak Week 6 by defeating the Miami Dolphins 23-20 across the pond.

Now, with the team a bit more upbeat and their first win under their belt, owner Shad Khan told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that he ‘absolutely’ has faith in head coach Urban Meyer. Khan also said he was impressed with the cohesiveness he’s seen from the team, which is something we’ve seen emphasized by the leaders on the team like Shaquill Griffin. 

“I couldn’t ask for anything more from the players,” Khan said this week at the NFL’s Fall League Meeting. “The cohesiveness and the strength to pull it out. This is where the impression from the outside is very different from the inside.”

Often overlooked is the way the Jags have stuck together through scandal. Just last month, Meyer made headlines after a video surfaced of him at a bar with an unknown woman. In addition to being an unnecessary distraction for a team looking for its first win, Khan himself felt compelled to release a statement as Meyer’s actions made the Jags the NFL’s hottest topic for the wrong reason.

Despite that, though, Rapoport says he’s been informed by a source that Khan is “all in” on Meyer. Rapoport also got Khan to further comment on the situation, which happened just weeks ago.

“I think this is NFL football,” Khan said. “You’re on stage all the time and you have to be absolutely self-aware. But I’ve gone over this so many times there’s very little to add.”

Fans and critics alike have come into this week questioning Meyer’s job security, and it appears Rapoport’s report has provided some clarity on that. Khan’s endorsement shouldn’t come as a surprise, either, when looking at how patient he’s been with coaches in the past.

Another big indication that Khan will be able to move past Meyer’s rough start in the NFL and off the field was pointed out by Albert Breer of the Monday Morning Quarterback: the fact that both sides have invested so much into each other. When the Khan’s hired Meyer, they just weren’t looking for a coach, but a program leader. With that came a big investment into Meyer’s staff, sports science, training tactics, and even a new facility in the future, among other things. 

Despite all of that, though, the Jags’ win against Miami isn’t a case that should have moved the needle much if Meyer’s job security was ever truly in question. A win against a struggling Dolphins team probably isn’t the best bellwether for Meyer’s future.

To put it simply, if the Jags’ next six games go like their first six, it would be hard to frame Meyer’s performance as anything other than a disappointment. However, looking at the team’s progress, there’s still a chance things will look up in the next six games. 

The bad and the good

Frankly, plenty of things should concern fans about Meyer. His ability to avoid being a distraction from now on should be interesting to watch, as well as his ability to get players to buy into him as a leader (that is, if they haven’t), especially after his concerning remarks about how the team’s ownership falls on the players. While we’ve seen the last regime have success by playing for each other, it only worked for so long, and eventually the players needed leadership from the coaches, too. 

But there’s also reason to have hope. The staff has helped Trevor Lawrence (and the team in general) get better by the week. If that continues, and the Jags can have consistent success, the rest could fall into place easily.

Jaguars shipyards proposal receives unanimous approval from City Council

Shad Khan received approval for his shipyards project by a 17-0 vote. Now, it’s time for Khan to hold up his end of the bargain.

Shad Khan’s plans to develop the downtown Jacksonville area will continue to proceed, as the Jacksonville City Council approved the plans for the development of the shipyards area 17-0 on Tuesday night.

The project, which is expected to cost $400 million to complete, will feature a Four Seasons Hotel, office space and marina facilities. The city will contribute up to $115 million in taxpayer dollars, with Khan’s company, Iguana Investments, putting in $300 million for the project.

The project is estimated to create 7,500 construction jobs and 1,500 permanent ones.

According to Jaguars president Mark Lamping, construction on the Four Seasons could begin as early as the second quarter next year, and the project is projected to be completed around December 2025.

Khan and the Jaguars recently also received approval to move forward with their $120 million practice facility upgrade near the stadium. With the shipyards project being approved, the downtown area could see even more makeovers in the coming years.

Shad Khan issues a statement on recent videos of Urban Meyer

“He must regain our trust and respect,” Khan said of Meyer in a recent statement.

In a week where the Jacksonville Jaguars need to be focusing on their biggest rivals in the Tennessee Titans, off-the-field issues seem to be getting in the way of that. Even more specifically, the off-the-field actions of Jags coach Urban Meyer.

With a video surfacing of Meyer being danced on by an unknown woman and him appearing to touch her below the waist in a second video, many have started to question how Jags ownership would react. That’s especially the case after Meyer told the media that the situation was a simple matter of some people trying to get him on the dance floor, which doesn’t perfectly add up with the videos.

Now, with many eyes on the organization, owner Shad Khan has released a statement, and for now, it appears he will continue forward with Meyer though the Jags head man did say that the first-year coach would have to regain his trust and respect.

I have addressed this matter with Urban. Specifics of our conversation will be held in confidence. 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.

The Jags’ game against the Titans will take place at TIAA Bank Field at 1 pm EST on Sunday, and the following statement makes it sound as though a lot is hinging on it. Simply put, if the Jags can win they wouldn’t be out of postseason contention when looking at the play of the division, which would make it easier for Khan to move on with Meyer despite him not being truthful to the public.

Regardless of what happens after Sunday’s game, though, it’s clear that the thing many fans feared, which is Meyer being a distraction, is unfolding before our eyes. And now, Khan’s questionable decision to hire a questionable fit for the NFL and his organization is turning out to be an issue on a month-to-month basis.

Jacksonville City Council approves Jaguars football performance facility deal

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ plan for their football performance facility was approved by the Jacksonville City Council, and the city will split the cost with the team 50/50.

In an expected but significant decision, the Jacksonville City Council unanimously approved a deal to split the cost of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ new downtown sports performance center. The project is called 1st DownTown, and it’s projected to cost $120 million to construct.

With the plan’s approval, the city and the team will split that cost 50-50. The city will own the facility and lease it to the team on an initial 30-year deal with two 10-year extension options.

After the previous attempt at downtown development, the Lot J project, failed at the city council level, this one moved through the process with relative ease. Once built, the facility will include office space, training rooms and indoor and outdoor practice fields with bleachers.

The 1st DownTown project isn’t the only attempt at developing the downtown area Jags owner Shad Khan is currently undertaking. He has long wanted to revitalize the shipyards district near the stadium, and that project received approval by the Downtown Investment Authority in July. According to First Coast News, full details of the plan are expected to be brought before the city council in September.

City Council Finance Committee approves Jaguars practice facility

The Jaguars’ football performance facility received approval from the City Council Finance Committee, and it will go to a vote before the full Council next week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ new $120 million performance facility took another step toward approval on Tuesday, as the City Council Finance Committee voted 7-0 to approve the plan to split the costs for the facility 50-50 between the team and city. According to Dave Bauerlein of the Florida Times-Union, deliberations lasted just 18 minutes.

The Rules Committee takes up the legislation on Tuesday afternoon, and the final hurdle for the project will take place next Tuesday when the full council votes for approval.

The facility, which will feature indoor and outdoor practice fields among other amenities, carries a 30-year lease, which City Council member Michael Boylen said indicates that the team is interested in staying in Jacksonville for the long haul.

“I think it’s pretty evident here when you’re looking at a 30-year commitment and a $60 million commitment by the Jaguars for this new facility, it can give all of us a great deal of comfort the Jaguars are going to be home in Jacksonville for years to go,” Boylan told Bauerlein.

After the failure of the Lot J project earlier this year, Jags owner Shad Khan has found a much more amiable position from the city government this time around. Though the new project requires final approval, it seems like a formality at this point given how easily the bill moved through the finance committee.

Jaguars receive approval for $120 million practice facility design concept

The city of Jacksonville approved the concept design for the football performance facility, clearing yet another hurdle toward its full approval.

The Jaguars’ projected $120 million performance facility cleared a major hurdle on Thursday, as the Downtown Development Review Board approved the design concept, per the Jacksonville Daily Record. This approval is preliminary, and another approval for a more thorough design is also required.

Approval from the DDRB was considered a formality, as a report issued by the DDRB staff before the vote recommended approval. However, there were some issues the staff took with the original design, reportedly referring to it as an “airplane hangar.” To help combat this, the building will feature a mural that wraps around three sides of the building, with the fourth side being a green wall covered with live plants.

Solar panels will also be installed on the roof, and designers will apply for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Jacksonville City Council is currently considering legislation that would split the cost of the facility between the team and the city, with the city responsible for no more than $60 million of the cost. Any extra costs will be covered by the team, and if the project comes in under budget, the city and team will split the savings. The city would own the facility and lease it to the team.

It seems that owner Shad Khan has finally gotten the cooperation from the city he’s been looking for when it comes to development, and though there are several more hurdles to clear, things are currently progressing as planned for the facility.