Jaguars' Marvin Jones Says He Had Conversation with Urban Meyer About WRs' Play

Harry How/Getty Images

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. denied a report from the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that he left the practice facility after being angry with Urban Meyer's "public and private criticism of the receiver group" at some point in the past two weeks, though he did confirm Wednesday the two spoke about the situation.

"I'll just say this: There was something that was brought to my attention that I didn't like too well," he told reporters. "I approached him about it, and we talked and we handled it like grown men. And that's all I have to say about that."

Pelissero noted a number of other instances of unrest and confrontation in his report, chief among them that Meyer "delivered a biting message that he's a winner and his assistant coaches are losers" during a staff meeting. 

Meyer denied the report in no uncertain terms:

✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content

That report also suggested that Meyer ordered the benching of running back James Robinson after he fumbled in a 37-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Robinson only returned after rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence questioned the benching.

"Bottom line is James is one of our best players and he's got to be on the field and we addressed it," Lawrence would later tell reporters, "and I feel like we're in a good spot and the whole team, we're good."

But per Pelissero's report, several Jaguars "vented their frustration to Rams players after that game, sources say, reiterating a common complaint that Meyer—who had no prior NFL experience—doesn't treat them like adults."

Meyer's tenure looks increasingly as though it could be one-and-done in Jacksonville, though team owner Shahid Khan told reporters he wouldn't make decisions based on "just acting helter-skelter on emotion."

"I'm not impulsive," he added. "I learned that a long time ago with anything that's this important you don't want to be impulsive. You want to look at exactly what I know first-hand, what people are telling me and then collect that and do the right thing."

As for the 31-year-old Jones, he went from catching 76 passes for 978 yards and nine touchdowns a year ago to posting 54 receptions for 610 yards and three scores through 13 games. 

Some downturn in production isn't shocking, given that he's going from Matt Stafford to a rookie in Lawrence at quarterback. But Jacksonville's inept offense under Meyer, which ranks 30th in yards per game (303.1) and 31st in points per contest (13.8) has been a waning tide that lowers all ships.