Former NFL placekicker Josh Lambo has filed a lawsuit towards the Jacksonville Jaguars, looking for greater than $3.5 million in wage and damages for emotional misery led to by way of former head trainer City Meyer.
The Tampa Bay Instances first reported main points of the lawsuit, which was once filed Tuesday within the 4th Judicial Circuit Court docket in Duval County and claims Meyer and the Jaguars created a adverse paintings atmosphere. In step with the lawsuit, Lambo says his efficiency suffered because of being kicked and verbally abused by way of Meyer.
Lambo is looking for a jury trial and hopes to be awarded a judgement for again pay owed from his 2021 wage ($3.5 million) with hobby in addition to “repayment for any particular damages sustained as emotional tension and reputational hurt and litigation charges,” amongst different prices.
The Jaguars fired Meyer on Dec. 15, hours after the Tampa Bay Instances reported Meyer had kicked Lambo all the way through a tradition months previous. Meyer was once fired with reason, despite the fact that the group insists Lambo’s accusation had not anything to do with proprietor Shad Khan’s choice to finish one of the vital tumultuous training tenures in NFL historical past.
Since Lambo reported the kicking incident to the Jaguars’ criminal suggest, his next unencumber violated Florida’s Personal Sector Whistle Blower’s Act, the lawsuit says.
Lambo, the fourth-most correct kicker in NFL historical past, ignored a field-goal strive in each and every of Jacksonville’s first two preseason video games. In a tradition sooner than the general exhibition recreation at Dallas in August, Lambo says he was once stretching when Meyer approached him, kicked him within the leg and mentioned, “Howdy (expletive), make your (expletive) kicks!”
Lambo says he instructed Meyer to by no means strike him once more, however Meyer spoke back with, “I’m the pinnacle ball trainer. I’ll kick you each time the (expletive) I would like.”
The lawsuit says Lambo verbally reported the incident right away via his agent, who contacted the Jaguars’ criminal suggest the day after Meyer kicked Lambo.
An employer bodily placing an worker at paintings, then threatening to take action once more according to resistance is prohibited beneath Florida civil and legal regulation, the lawsuit claims.
Meyer, talking previous to his firing, denied the incident came about the best way Lambo described it.
“Josh’s characterization of me and this incident is totally faulty, and there are eyewitnesses to refute his account,” Meyer mentioned. “(Basic supervisor) Trent (Baalke) and I met with him on more than one events to inspire his efficiency, and this was once by no means introduced up. I used to be absolutely supportive of Josh all the way through his time with the group and want him not anything however the most efficient.”
The lawsuit claims the incident affected Lambo’s talent to sleep, apply and carry out his process the best way he had all the way through his seven NFL seasons.
“Mr. Meyer’s hostility had the meant impact on Mr. Lambo, leading to Mr. Lambo uncharacteristically lacking tricky and lengthy kicks from the levels of 55 yards, 52 yards and 58 yards,” in line with the lawsuit.
Lambo was once launched by way of the Jaguars on Oct. 19, two days after Matt Wright made two 50-plus-yard discipline targets to overcome Miami in London and finish the franchise’s 20-game shedding streak.