JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A tough week for Urban Meyer included plenty of tough and uncomfortable conversations, both personally and professionally, and plenty of apologies.
His latest one — to the fans.
Meyer faced another tough day of questions Wednesday, repeating how he was determined to not let a “stupid mistake” define his time with Jacksonville and promising to earn the trust and respect of the team back. That comes a day after owner Shad Khan called Meyer’s actions in a pair of viral videos “inexcusable,” but vowed to stick by the first-year coach.
“I know our fans have been hanging in there with us, and I apologize to them and want to make that perfectly clear,” Meyer said.
The Jaguars are 0-4 entering Sunday’s divisional showdown with the Titans at TIAA Bank Field.
It has been a week of swirling drama around Meyer. He didn’t fly back with the team following last Thursday night’s 24-21 loss to the Bengals, a move he said was approved well in advance by general manager Trent Baalke. Numerous ex-NFL players have spoken out during Meyer’s situation and said that a coach not returning home with his team was unusual and what they had an issue with.
“I had least three or four conversations with Shad, message is loud and clear, and I agree with,” Meyer said.
Meyer said that he wasn’t fined by Khan and didn’t anticipate having to talk to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell or the league office about last weekend’s viral videos of him in a bar in Columbus, Ohio, and in a compromising situation with a lady who was not his wife, Shelley. Meyer said that he had meetings with the team and has received support from both players and coaches, in and out of the building, over the past few days.
Meyer said that his marriage of 37 years would survive the current challenges of the past week.
“I believe so [we can get past it], and that’s obviously, it’s very personal. I don’t want to get into our personal life,” Meyer said. “But 37 years we’ve been together and it’s been awesome, man. And this speed bump’s not going to get in the way of that.”