Josh Lambo sues Jaguars over hostile work environment created by Urban Meyer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo is suing the team and seeking his full salary for last season, plus damages for emotional distress following his accusation of being kicked by former coach Urban Meyer.

Lambo filed the lawsuit Tuesday in the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court in Duval County. The full lawsuit was posted by the court on Wednesday morning.

Lambo is seeking his $3.5 million salary and damages. His lawsuit claims that Meyer and the Jaguars created a hostile work environment, and that he was released from his job with the team for speaking up about Meyer kicking and degrading him.

News4JAX has requested comment from the Jaguars.

Lambo accused Meyer of kicking him during a preseason game last season. That accusation to the Tampa Bay Times came just hours before owner Shad Khan fired Meyer in the early morning hours of Dec. 16.

“I’m in a lunge position. Left leg forward, right leg back,” Lambo told the Times last winter. “... Urban Meyer, while I’m in that stretch position, comes up to me and says, ‘Hey Dips--t, make your f--king kicks!’ And kicks me in the leg.”

Lambo reported the incident to the team, which the team acknowledged came in contact from Lambo’s agent on Aug. 27. He said in the lawsuit, according to the Times, that his release was a violation of Florida’s Private Sector Whistle Blower’s Act.

According to the lawsuit, Meyer confronted Lambo after his complaint, telling the kicker, “[I]f you ever speak to me like that again, you’ll be out of here. You’re the first player I’ve ever let speak to me that way in my career, and if you do it again, you’re gone.”

News4JAX spoke with attorney John Phillips, who’s also a former sports agent. Phillips is not affiliated with the case. He says it might be difficult to prove the damages.

“Josh Lambo is saying that because of the torment by coach Urban Meyer, while he was a coach, he couldn’t kick anymore,” Phillips said. “And that just seems a bit of a far reach.”

Phillips said this would be considered a first of its kind lawsuit, in which the psychological development or fragility of an NFL player would be litigated.

Lambo was released by the team on Oct. 19 after struggling in the past season. He departed as the most accurate kicker in franchise history.

He missed 12 games with a hip injury in 2020 and wasn’t the same kicker last year. Lambo missed all three of his field goal attempts in 2021, two of those at TIAA Bank Field where he was previously automatic, as well as a couple PATs.

Meyer denied Lambo’s accusation in late January in an interview out OutKick’s Don’t @ Me.


About the Authors:

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.