Meyer Interview: Thoughts Of Retirement Began After Alabama Game, Decision Made On Christmas

Following Urban Meyer's announcement of his resignation as Florida's head coach, he conducted an interview Saturday evening with the New York Times' Pete Thamel. Meyer told Thamel that he experienced chest pains following Florida's loss to Alabama on December 5th.

That night was the tipping point for Meyer, 45, who stunned the college football world Saturday by announcing that he was stepping down from coaching.

“There was no heart damage,” Meyer said. “But I didn’t want there to be a bad day where there were three kids sitting around wondering what to do next. It was the pattern of what I was doing and how I was doing it. It was self-destructive.”

Even were it not for Meyer's health issues, it's clear that his job was taking its toll.

If there was a hallmark to Meyer’s coaching style, both on and off the field, it was his relentlessness. He said he found himself e-mailing recruits in church. He said that his 16-year-old daughter had told him that she had not felt like she talked to him in the past two years.

Another interesting note: a Florida spokesman says that Meyer will be involved in selecting his successor.