A day after his controversial hiring, Jaguars says performance coach Chris Doyle has resigned

“Chris Doyle came to us tonight to tender his resignation and we accepted.” Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer said in a statement. “Chris didn’t want to be a distraction from what we are building in Jacksonville. We are responsible for all aspects of our program and should have thought more about the implications of his appointment for everyone involved. We wish him the best of luck. advances in his career. “

On Thursday, Meyer had defended Doyle’s recruitment by saying he had vetted everyone on the staff. “I feel great about the recruitment, about his expertise in that role,” said Meyer, noting that his relationship with Doyle stretched back nearly 20 years. ‘We have examined that very carefully.’

Meyer, who previously coached through the ranks of the University of Utah, University of Florida and most recently Ohio State University, was hired by the Jaguars as the head coach in January after the team fired Doug Marrone.

Meyer said he did not believe the racism allegations attributed to Doyle in Iowa would deter Jacksonville from recruiting free agents.

Shortly after he was placed on administrative leave in Iowa in June, Doyle posted a statement on Twitter – which has since been removed – saying the allegations about his behavior are “untrue.”

“At a time when the NFL has not resolved its problem with racial recruiting practices, it is simply unacceptable to welcome Chris Doyle to the ranks of NFL coaches,” said Executive Director Rod Graves. “Doyle’s departure from the University of Iowa reflected a tenure of poor judgment and mistreatment of black players. His behavior should be as disqualifying to the NFL as it was to the University of Iowa.”

Graves added that Meyer’s statement that he has known Doyle for nearly 20 years, “reflects the good old network that is exactly why there is such inequality in employment for black coaches.”