Report: NFLPA opens investigation into Urban Meyer
ByKEVIN FLAHERTY 16 hours ago
The NFL Players Association has opened an investigation into Jacksonville Jaguars coach
Urban Meyer,
according to Pro Football Talk. The investigation stems from Meyer’s comments that vaccination status was a factor in deciding which players to retain as the team neared its final roster cuts.
“These comments have led us to open an investigation,” NFLPA spokesman George Atallah told PFT through text message.
According to PFT, “The joint NFL and NFLPA protocols have indeed created an incentive to weed out unvaccinated players. However, the rules prohibit considering vaccination status in making employment decisions.”
Meyer referenced looking at a player’s vaccination record when making his roster decisions.
”Everyone was considered,” Meyer told reporters, “that was part of the production and also was he vaccinated or not. To say that was a decision-maker, it certainly was under consideration.”
As PFT’s Mike Florio wrote, the issue was not necessarily considering vaccination status — while against the rules, it is likely that other teams are doing the same — but rather Meyer voicing that he considered whether a player was vaccinated or not.
“Undoubtedly, teams considered vaccination status,” Florio wrote. “Why wouldn’t they? It likely was a major factor, for example, in New England’s decision to cut quarterback
Cam Newton. But it’s not something that can be admitted, and Meyer’s friend
Bill Belichick didn’t — and wouldn’t — link the two. That’s where Meyer erred, and that’s why he’s going to have a mess to clean up in the coming days.”
Meyer landed his first NFL win — albeit a preseason one that does not count in the record books —
as the Jaguars topped the Dallas Cowboys 34-14 on Sunday.
“Today solved a lot of problems," Meyer said. "Last week, we felt awful walking off the field — especially in the first half. But you feel good now. You don’t want to overdo it, but I’m overdoing it. We’re gonna enjoy a win, go home and get ready to play one that’s gonna count in the win-loss column.”
First overall draft pick
Trevor Lawrence completed 11-of-12 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the Jaguars victory.
“Dallas didn’t play a lot of their guys, and they played pretty vanilla on defense — as we did," Meyer said. "But confidence, that’s the most unique position in all of sport. Getting in a little bit of a rhythm, we made that trade and we’re going with him. He did not disappoint.
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“... The one thing about Trevor, he has played decent all three games. Preseason was fairly new to me and I learned along the way, so I would judge our preseason as a success right now. There’s a lot of energy in our locker room. We’ve got two weeks to get the strongest version of ourselves.”
