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The NFLPA is investigating an email that newly hired Jacksonville Jaguars Executive VP of Football Operations Tom Coughlin sent to players still under contract about mandatory visits to EverBank Field for physicals earlier in March.
According to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, the players’ union is not taking this action lightly.
A source said the union was notified of Coughlin’s letter by an agent of a player who doesn’t live in Jacksonville and balked at paying his own travel expenses back to town.
A second league source said several players were advised by their agents to go through the physical even as the NFLPA began its inquiry. The sources requested anonymity because they weren’t allowed to speak publicly about the issue.
This is the second such investigation by the NFLPA into Tom Coughlin’s activity. Coughlin reportedly mandated that injured players spend at least four days a week rehabbing in Jacksonville during the offseason, until they are medically cleared, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garofolo.
Days after that, Jared Odrick filed a $5.5 million grievance against the club, seeking to get back some of his guaranteed money. The Jaguars argued that Odrick violated team rules by not having his checkups at a team facility but the league ruled in Odrick’s favor, according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero.
The Jaguars could potentially lose an organized team activity practice this spring, so it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.