CNN
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A Florida decide has dismissed a lawsuit filed by former NFL kicker Josh Lambo towards the Jacksonville Jaguars through which he sought again pay and damages for emotional misery allegedly inflicted by the workforce’s former head coach City Meyer, whom he accused of making a “hostile work surroundings.”
The lawsuit, filed in Could within the Fourth Judicial Circuit Courtroom in Duval County, Florida, was dismissed with out prejudice by Choose G.L. Feltel Jr. on November 8, in line with courtroom information.
Lambo was given 21 days to file an amended grievance. Lambo’s lawyer, Betsy Brown, informed CNN her consumer intends to take action.
The decide tossed the case after the Jaguars filed a movement in July to dismiss the lawsuit, contending Lambo “is just not a whistleblower or a sufferer of retaliation,” as he argued within the grievance.
The Jaguars stated Lambo admitted within the grievance that the membership “separated his employment as a result of his unsatisfactory efficiency on the soccer area.”
The workforce additionally claimed that whereas Lambo’s go well with alleged wrongdoing on Meyer’s half, it failed “to indicate Meyer’s actions had been dedicated throughout the scope of his employment or ratified by the workforce.”
Additional, the workforce argued the alleged conduct Lambo complained about was not protected exercise underneath the Florida Whistleblower Act.
CNN has reached out to the Jaguars for remark.
Within the lawsuit, Lambo stated that in a observe in August 2021, Meyer “kicked him within the leg, and used profanity to insult (him) and warn him to make his kicks. Particularly, (Meyer) allegedly screamed at (Lambo), ‘Hey Dips**t, make your f**king kicks!’”
Lambo responded to Meyer, telling the coach, “‘Don’t you ever f**king kick me once more!’ [Meyer] responded, “I’m the top ball coach, I’ll kick you at any time when the f**okay I need,’” in line with the lawsuit
Meyer denied Lambo’s allegations to the Tampa Bay Instances in December.
“Josh’s characterization of me and this incident is totally inaccurate, and there are eyewitnesses to refute his account,” Meyer informed the paper. “(Basic supervisor) Trent (Baalke) and I met with him on a number of events to encourage his efficiency, and this was by no means introduced up. I used to be absolutely supportive of Josh throughout his time with the workforce and need him nothing however one of the best.”
The lawsuit alleged Lambo knowledgeable the Jaguars concerning the incident by his agent, Richard Irvin, however the workforce “didn’t provoke an investigation” nor “intervene within the shut working situations” between the 2.
The Jaguars reduce Lambo in October after the kicker missed all three of his field-goal makes an attempt within the first three weeks of the 2021 season. Lambo’s lawsuit stated his missed area targets “didn’t trigger any losses for the Jaguars.”
In keeping with the lawsuit, Lambo claimed his launch violated the Florida Non-public Sector Whistle-blower’s Act “regarding assault, battery, and office violence in furtherance of an employer’s curiosity.”
After he was reduce, the lawsuit alleged, Lambo “suffered skilled ramifications together with misplaced wages, advantages and different remuneration, in addition to excessive emotional and psychological misery due to the harassment, hostile work surroundings, and retaliation” by the Jaguars.
The Jaguars fired Meyer in December 2021 after 13 video games (2-11) in his first NFL teaching season.
