I wonder if the NFL has avoided a COVID mandate because of the fear of creating a culture war with the same people in their fanbase who thought Colin Kaepernick was worse than Hitler.
A significant portion of the WFT has suddenly come down with COVID.
I’m not a conspiracy-minded person, and this is totally conjecture on my part, but this smells a lot like tanking.
Can’t blame them; making the playoffs again only solidifies their place in permanent mediocrity. Frankly the only thing that can really turn this team around long-term is to lose the rest of their games and get better draft position.
It’s not just WFT; the Browns and Rams, among other teams, have had a lot of positives in the past few days, and those are teams that are fighting for playoff berths.
Plus, there have been outbreaks in the past few days in other sports (e.g., the Chicago Bulls, the Calgary Flames, etc.)
Could be, but I figure it’s the real deal. It’s very unlikely to be a conspiracy theory for a very simple reason.
The incentives are for the players and lower level coaches to continue trying hard and win rather than tank. Players usually have performance based bonuses and need to be on the field to get paid. And they need to keep their profile up if/when they’re cut or for contract negotiations. Why tank for a few games if it could potentially cost them the rest of their career and actually cost them now?
This is different from the NBA or MLB with the guaranteed contracts and where tank jobs are more or less openly acknowledged.
The outbreaks seem to be tracking the overall infection level in the respective NFL cities and pandemic era restrictions have been greatly reduced, especially for a highly vaccinated team like WFT. It’s not exactly a surprise that case numbers would go up when cases at large are spiking.
Could also easily be exaggeration. In any case the Jaguars GM is one Trent Baalke, who was infamous in San Francisco for ultimately being the source for all the leaks painting Jim Harbaugh in a bad light, especially toward the end. He’s trying to get Meyer fired.
Based on the results on the field, I don’t think he needs to try very hard.
I doubt anyone is using Covid as an excuse to tank, which is really hard in the NFL. I think the NFL has egg on its face from Rodgers and the fake vaccine cards.
And, as others have said, it’s not just in the NFL that teams are getting overwhelmed with Covid cases
Maybe, although the NFL’s rules were fairly strict and almost all players got the vax anyway.
Unfortunately, players spent a lot of time together plus do a fair amount of travelling, and breakthrough infections are popping up a lot.
And, I think that, compared to last year, there are a couple of additional factors:
- COVID variants like Delta (and, now, Omicron) are considerably more contagious, even to those who are vaccinated.
- Players are probably engaging in more activities in public this year than last, interacting with more people (and, thus, having more opportunities for exposure).
More on Urban Meyer being an unbearable jerk:
Former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo, in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, said that Meyer kicked him while he was doing pre-game stretches during the exhibition season.
The article goes on to note some other abusive and bullying language by Meyer, as well as his denials of Lambo’s account of events.
I can’t see how Meyer is a coach in the NFL after this season, in Jacksonville or anywhere else. He’s radioactive for any team.
I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get another gig at the college level though, you can get away with more there.
None of this about Urban Meyer should come as a surprise. He’s been an asshole for decades. He’s hired racists, covered for wife-beaters, likely cheats on his wife, and does it all with a bullshit “Man of God” facade that sells (along with a few well placed illegal boosters) his college programs to moms around the nation.
About the only thing that would surprise me about Urban Meyer in the NFL is if he actually wins.
Urban Meyer got the vote of confidence.
He’s fired.
Yeah, that shocks nobody.
As God has willed…
… Oh sorry…
, then as is best for his family.
…
…
Oh,not that then…
then…
for his personal health!
…
…
Oh really, he just got fired for being a dickhead abusive creep.
…
That’s okay isn’t it
…
Damn what happened to the 1980s?, the 90s? the 2000s?the 10s of course?
well I’ll be damned.
Thoughts and prayers.
Steve Spurrier and Jim Zorn managed to last 2 whole seasons, and their NFL head coaching tenures could generously be described as “clueless.” Meyer was clueless AND was a dick about it. One of the most deserved NFL head coaching firings in a while.
Paging Mark Davis. Your dream head coach is available! Act now!
I’m sure Meyer will have no problem landing a college job, but I think he’s going to find it’s a changed world even from just a few years ago. Name/image/likeness rights and the transfer portal have shifted more power to athletes, and they may be less willing to take his shit than the worshipful locker rooms of years past.