Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer defended the hiring of a former Iowa assistant accused of racism by saying he “vetted him thoroughly along with our general manager and owner.”

In a news conference, Meyer said he felt great about hiring Chris Doyle and added that he's known him for close to 20 years, USA Today reported.

Iowa agreed to pay strength coach Chris Doyle $1.1 million in a resignation agreement last June after more than a dozen former players said he bullied and discriminated against them.

Doyle denied the allegations.

A lawyer for 13 Black ex-Iowa football players has filed a lawsuit alleging his clients suffered racial discrimination under longtime coach Kirk Ferentz.

Doyle is among the defendants.

Meyer officially hired Doyle as Jacksonville’s director of sports performance.

Doyle wasn't the only coach added to the first-year head coach of the Jags. Meyer also added former Texas head coach Charlie Strong as his assistant head coach, The Associated Press reported.