Photo Credit
The article researched and compiled
by Carrie Birdsong
This is Part 1 of the Jacksonville Jaguars
Part 2, along with the copyrights and source
citations will be posted on March 18, 2025
First Season: 1995
Play and Headquartered at:
EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida
League / Conference Affiliations:
1. NFL: 1995 – Present
2. AFC: 1995 – Present
3. AFC Central: 1995 – 2001
4. AFC South: 2002 – Present
Team Colors: Teal, Black, Gold(4)(5)
Mascot: Jaxson de Ville
Personnel:
1. Owner(s): Shahid Khan(6)
2. President: Mark Lamping
3. General Manager: Trent Baalke
4. Head Coach: Vacant
Team History: Jacksonville Jaguars 1995 – Present
Team Nicknames:
1. Jags
2. Sacksonville (2017)
Championships:
1. League Championships: 0
2. Conference Championships: 0
3. Division Championships: 4
4. AFC Central: 1998, 1999
5. AFC South: 2017, 2022
Playoff Appearances: 8
League / Conference Affiliations:
1. NFL: 1995 – Present
2. AFC: 1995 – Present
3. AFC Central: 1995 – 2001
4. AFC South: 2002 – Present
Team Colors: Teal, Black, Gold(4)(5)
Mascot: Jaxson de Ville
Personnel:
1. Owner(s): Shahid Khan(6)
2. President: Mark Lamping
3. General Manager: Trent Baalke
4. Head Coach: Vacant
Team History: Jacksonville Jaguars 1995 – Present
Team Nicknames:
1. Jags
2. Sacksonville (2017)
Championships:
1. League Championships: 0
2. Conference Championships: 0
3. Division Championships: 4
4. AFC Central: 1998, 1999
5. AFC South: 2017, 2022
Playoff Appearances: 8
NFL: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2017,
2022
Home Field: EverBank Stadium (1995 – Present)
Team Owners:
Team Owners:
1. Wayne Weaver (1993 – 2012)
2. Shahid Khan (2012 – Present)
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team plays its home games at EverBank Stadium.
Founded alongside the Carolina Panthers in 1995 as an expansion team, the Jaguars competed in the AFC Central until they were moved to the AFC South in 2002. The franchise is owned by Shahid Khan, who bought the team from its original majority owner Wayne Weaver in 2012.(7)(8)(9)
The Jaguars saw early success during their second through fifth seasons, which saw them make the playoffs each year, win two division titles, and appear in two AFC Championship Games. They are the youngest NFL expansion team to appear in a conference championship (by their second season in 1996, along with the Panthers) and clinch their conference’s top seed (by their fifth season in 1999). The Jaguars have been less successful since, with only four playoff appearances and two division titles since 2000(10). They are one of four NFL franchises that have never played in the Super Bowl alongside the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and Houston Texans.
Creation
In 1989, the prospective ownership group Touchdown Jacksonville! was organized with the intention of bringing an NFL franchise to Jacksonville(11). In 1991, the NFL announced plans to add two expansion teams(12). In 1994, Touchdown Jacksonville! announced a bid for a team, and Jacksonville was ultimately chosen as one of five finalists, along with Charlotte, St. Louis, Baltimore, and Memphis(13). Charlotte was awarded the first franchise, which would become the Carolina Panthers, in October 1993(14). The decision for selecting the second expansion city was delayed a month. At the time, St. Louis was considered the favorite for the second franchise(15). However, the NFL owners voted 26 – 2 in favor of awarding the 30th franchise to Jacksonville(16). For their opening season in 1995, the Jaguars took part in the 1995 expansion draft to help bolster their roster. The Jaguars, along with the Panthers, alternated picks from lists of unprotected players from existing franchises.(17)(18)
Tom Coughlin (1995 – 2002)
Tom Coughlin was hired to be the first head coach of the franchise on February 21st, 1994(19). The Jaguars took part in their first NFL draft in 1995. Their first pick in franchise history was the second overall pick in the first round, which was used on eventual Hall of Fame offensive tackle Tony Boselli out of USC.(20)(21)
On September 3rd, 1995, the Jaguars played their first regular season game, a 10 – 3 loss to the Houston Oilers(22). In week 2, against the Cincinnati Bengals, Randy Jordan caught the first touchdown in franchise history, a 71 – yard reception from quarterback Steve Beuerlein(23). The Jaguars would lose their first four games before breaking through against the Oilers in week 5 in a 17 – 16 victory(24). Over the course of the season, they would suffer through a seven – game losing streak before closing the season out with a 24 – 21 win over the Cleveland Browns. The Jaguars went 4 – 12 in their first season(25). The team saw Mark Brunell and Steve Beuerlein both start games at quarterback.(26)
Prior to their second season, the Jaguars drafted Kevin Hardy with the second overall pick in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft. The team also got Tony Brackens and Aaron Beasley in the draft(27). With Brunell leading at quarterback, the team improved in 1996. With the team sitting at 4 – 7, the Jaguars reeled off five straight wins to finish with a 9 – 7 mark, they finished second in the AFC Central, and made the postseason for the first time. The team had two wide receivers go over 1,000 yards in Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith(28). The Jaguars won their first postseason game in franchise history with a 30 – 27 victory over the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round(29). Following a 30 – 27 win over the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round, the Jaguars saw their run end in the AFC Championship with a 20 – 6 loss to the New England Patriots.(30)(31)
The 1997 season saw the team go 11 – 5 and finish second in the AFC Central. McCardell and Smith once again both recorded over 1,000 receiving yards(32). The Jaguars qualified for the postseason, which was short – lived with a 42 – 17 loss to the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card Round(33). The 1998 season saw the team win their first divisional title by going 11 – 5. The team defeated the New England Patriots 25 – 10 in the Wild Card round before falling to the New York Jets, 34 – 24 in the Divisional Round(35)(36). The Jaguars reached new heights in the 1999 season with a franchise – best division – winning 14 – 2 season(37). The team defeated the Miami Dolphins, 62 – 7 in the Divisional Round, which would be Dan Marino’s final game(38). The Jaguars saw their season end in the AFC Championship with a 33 – 14 loss to the Tennessee Titans, who were responsible for all three of their losses that year(39). Despite Taylor, McCardell, and Smith all putting together successful statistical seasons in 2000, the Jaguars took a step back and missed the postseason(40). The team slipped further in 2001 with a 6 – 10 record(41). In the 2002 season, the team went 6 – 10 once again and Coughlin was fired following the season.(42)(43)
Jack Del Rio (2003 – 2011)
The Jaguars hired Jack Del Rio to be the team’s second head coach following the 2002 season(44). The Jaguars drafted quarterback Byron Leftwich with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2003 NFL draft(45). Leftwich would eventually replace Brunell as starting quarterback. The Jaguars went 5 – 11 in the 2003 season. One bright spot on the season was Taylor rushing for over 1,500 yards(46). In the 2005 season, Del Rio led the team back into the postseason with a 12 – 4 finish and 2nd – place finish in the AFC South(48). The return to the postseason was short – lived with a 28 – 3 loss to the New England Patriots in the Wild Card Round(49). The 2006 season saw the arrival of quarterback David Garrard. The Jaguars went 8 – 8 and missed the postseason(50). The 2007 season was an improvement to a 11 – 5 record and return to the postseason(51). The team defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31 – 29 in the Wild Card Round before falling to the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round(52)(53). The following year saw the team take a major step back with a 5 – 11 mark and last place finish in the division(55). In 2010, the team finished second in the division with an 8 – 8 mark but missed the postseason(56). The team used their first-round draft pick (#10 overall) on Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert prior to the 2011 season(57). Following a 3 – 8 start, Del Rio was fired and Mel Tucker finished the year with a 2 – 3 mark as interim.(58)(59)(60)
Mike Mularkey
Mike Mularkey was hired to be the Jaguars’ third head coach prior to the 2012 season(61). The team went 2 – 14, which marked the worst season in franchise history at the time(62). Mularkey was fired following the season.(63)
Gus Bradley (2013 – 2016)
Prior to the 2013 season, Gus Bradley was hired to be the team’s fourth head coach(64). Chad Henne was the starting quarterback for the majority of the 2013 season, which saw the team go 4 – 12(65). Prior to the 2014 season, the Jaguars drafted Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft(66). The change at quarterback did not see instant improvement as the team finished 3 – 13(67). The 2015 season saw the team finish 5 – 11. One bright spot was quarterback Blake Bortles passing for the most yards and touchdowns in franchise history with 4,428 and 35(68)(69). Following a 2 – 12 start to the 2016 season, Gus Bradley was fired(70). Interim coach Doug Marrone split the final two games of the season.(71)
Doug Marrone (2017 – 2020)
Marrone was named the full – time head coach prior to the 2017 season(72). The 2017 season saw the Jaguars win the AFC South with a 10 – 6 mark being led by a strong defensive unit(73)(74). The season marked the first division title for the team since 1999(75). The team made the playoffs for the first time since the 2007 season(76). In the Wild Card Round, the Jaguars defeated the Bills 10 – 3(77). In the Divisional Round, they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 45 – 42(78). In their first AFC Championship game since the 1999 season, they lost to the New England Patriots 24 – 20(79). The game featured a controversial defensive play where Myles Jack recovered a Patriots fumble and had a path for a touchdown but the play was blown dead.(80)
The Jaguars were not able to capitalize on the success of the 2017 season in the following year. The 2018 team went 5 – 11 and Bortles getting benched later in the season(81)(82). The Jaguars signed Super Bowl LII MVP quarterback Nick Foles prior to the 2019 season(83). However, Foles was lost for most of the season from a broken collarbone suffered in Week 1 against the Chiefs(84). The team turned to 2019 sixth-round draft pick Gardner Minshew, who filled n for most of the 6 – 10 season(85)(86). The 2020 was the worst season in the history of the franchise with a 1 – 15 mark(87). Minshew suffered multiple injuries to his throwing hand during the season, which forced Mike Glennon and Jake Luton to start at quarterback(88)(89). Following the end of the 2020 season, Marrone was fired.(90)
Urban Meyer
In what would become one of the most ill – fated coaching hires in NFL history, the Jaguars hired Urban Meyer to be the next coach of the team prior to the 2021 season(91). The team drafted Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the top overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft(92). Meyer was fired after a 2 – 11 start(93). He was only the fourth coach since the AFL – NFL merger not to finish a full season(94). Darrell Bevell finished the year as interim with a 1 – 3 mark.(95)
Doug Pederson (2022 – 2024)
Prior to the 2022 season, the Jaguars hired Super Bowl LII-winning coach Doug Pederson to be their next head coach(96). The team saw immediate improvement with a 9 – 8 record and a division title(97)(98). The Jaguars defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 31 – 30 in the Wild Card Round(99). The game featured the third-largest comeback in NFL postseason history with the Jaguars trailing 27 – 0 at one point(100). The Jaguars’ season ended with a 27 – 20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.(101)
In the 2023 season, the Jaguars finished with a 9 – 8 mark once again but failed to qualify for the playoffs.(102)
On January 6th, 2025, Pederson was fired after three seasons with the team, during which the team was 22 – 29 (.431), with one playoff appearance.(103)(104)
Logos and Uniforms
The Day after the NFL awarded the expansion team to Jacksonville, Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver held up the Jaguars’ proposed silver helmet and teal jersey at the NFL owners’ meeting in Chicago. The team’s colors were to be teal, gold, and silver with black accents. However, this jersey and helmet design, with a gold leaping jaguar, created controversy. Ford Motor Company, then-parent of the automaker Jaguar, believed that the Jaguars’ logo bore too much resemblance to the automaker’s logo. Though no lawsuit was brought to trial, lawyers from the team and the automaker negotiated an ultimately amicable agreement whereby Jaguar would be named the official car of the Jaguars, and the Jaguars would redesign their uniforms.(105)
The new logo was a snarling jaguar head with a teal tongue, which Weaver said was his wife’s touch. He also claimed that the teal tongue came from “feed Panthers to our Jaguars” – an obvious jab at their expansion brethren. During the Jaguars’ first – ever preseason game teal – colored candies were handed out to all the fans who attended, turning their tongues a teal color just like on the logo. Additionally, raspberry lollipops were handed out by the “Candy Man” in section 142 to also turn the home fans’ tongues teal.
In 2009, Weaver announced that he wanted to “clean up” the team’s image. This meant the elimination of the full-body crawling Jaguar logo, the clawing Jaguar, and the two previous wordmarks which bent around these logos.
In February 2013, Jaguars owners Shahid Khan, who had acquired the team in late 2011, introduced a new brand identity for the team that included a new logo, wordmark, and secondary logo. The new Jaguar head logo was intended to be “fiercer” and more realistic(106). The secondary logo incorporated the new Jaguar head logo along with the first official usage of the team’s popular nickname “Jags”. The two images were encased in a shield-style shape, designed to be a tribute to Jacksonville’s military community.(4)
Beginning in 2013, the Jaguars began to feature more gold prominently than in the past. From 2009 to 2012, gold had only been used in the team logo and as a minor accent color.
Uniforms
For most of their history, the Jaguars have done what many other NFL teams located in subtropical climates traditionally practice: wear their white jerseys at home during the first half of the season – forcing opponents to wear their dark ones under the sweltering autumns in Jacksonville. the only exceptions were in 2004 and 2008 – 2010, when the Jaguars chose to wear teal for all home games. In the preseason, the Jaguars typically wear teal at home, since these games are played at night when there is very little advantage with the heat.
1995 – 2001
Following the logo change, the redesigned uniforms featured an all-black helmet, white pants with teal, black, and gold stripes, and numbers with gold inner trim and black outer trim. The home jersey was teal with white numbers and the away jersey was white with teal numbers. Both jerseys had a black collar and no sleeve stripes.
A prowling jaguar on each sleeve replaced the leaping jaguar going across both shoulders in the original design. The Jaguars in 1995 were the first NFL team have two-tone borders on their numbers and lettering, and the first NFL team to show a complex logo (the crawling jaguar) on the sleeve.
Minor modification were introduced to the Jaguars uniform during this time, most notably the font of the jersey numbers, replacing the original block numbers with a unique font. Two stripes were also added to the end of the sleeve below the prowling jaguar.
2002 – 2008
The team introduced a black alternate jersey in 2002. During that same year, the team also introduced alternate black pants, worn with either the white or teal jersey. After the black pants were introduced, the white pants would only be seen for the first few games of the year, presumably due to the heat. The black pants originally included two team stripes down each side. The fan reaction to the extra black in the alternate jersey and alternate pants was positive, so in 2004 the Jaguars went through a formal uniform change, which teams are only allowed to do once every five years. These changes were mostly to the away look. Before 2004, the white away jerseys had black numbers with teal and gold trim, but after, the white jerseys had black numbers with teal and gold trim. The black pants were also changed. The teal stripes were replaced with the jaguar logo on each hip. Teal almost disappeared from the away uniform.
The stripes on the white pants were altered in 2008 so that the center, thickest stripe was black, and its accents were teal. In the 2008 year, the gold in the uniforms noticeably shifted from a bright yellow metallic appearance to a more beige color.
2009 – 2012
The Jaguars unveiled new uniforms for the 2009 season. Team owner Wayne Weaver reportedly wanted to “clean up” the look, feeling that the team had too many uniform styles. The new uniforms were introduced in a press conference on April 22nd.(107)(108)
At this press conference, Weaver elaborated that different people had taken different liberties with the Jaguars’ image over the years, singling out the “all black” look which the team wore for every prime – time home game from 2003 to 2007 as a point of regret. He also said that the team would wear their teal jerseys at home even on hot days, saying that the practice of choosing to wear white on hot days had also diluted the team’s image. The new uniform reflected a simpler look overall. The collar and sleeve ends are the same color as the rest of the jersey. The crawling jaguar was removed. The numbers on the jerseys were changed to a simpler, block font with a thicker, single-color border. After all of these subtractions, two features were added. The first was a “Jaguars” wordmark underneath the NFL insignia on the chest. The second was two thin “stripes” of off-color fabric which were added to each mid-seam of the jersey, curling up the neckline on the front and below the number on the back. The stripe on the home jersey is a white line next to a black line next to a teal line, again matching the numbers. The pants have similar stripes, both for the home and away uniform. The away uniforms were still black pants and numbers on a white jersey, but they now used teal as the only accent color as opposed to using gold in previous years. The Jaguars’ identity in terms of colors, beginning in 2009 is exclusively teal and black, with gold only being used in the logo. The final change made to the Jaguars’ uniforms in 2009 was to the helmet. The new helmet and facemask were black just like the old ones, but when light hit the new ones in a certain way, both the helmet and facemask sparkled with a shiny teal appearance. These were the first helmets in professional football which changed color with different angles of light. The logo and number decals also incorporated this effect.(108)
Prior to the 2012 season, new Jaguars owner Shahid Khan announced that the team once again would use a black jersey, something they had not done since 2008. In September of that year, the team announced that it would use the black jersey and black pants as their primary home uniform. The teal jersey was resurrected as an alternate.(109)
2013 – 2017
On April 23rd, 2013, the Jaguars unveiled new uniforms designed by Nike. The primary home jersey is black with white numerals outlined in teal and gold. The road jersey is white with teal numerals outlined in black and gold, marking the first time since 2003 that the team has used teal numbers on their road jersey. The alternate jersey is teal with black numerals outlined in white and gold. The team had never before used black numerals on their teal jersey. All three jerseys feature a contrasting stripe that bends around the neck, and semi-glossy patches on the shoulders meant to resemble claw marks. The team added their new shield logo onto a patch just above the player’s heart, meant to pay tribute to Jacksonville’s military heritage.(110)
The helmet, first of its kind in the NFL, featured a glossy gold finish in the back that fades to matte black in the front, via a color gradient.(111)
The new uniform set includes black and white pants with the Jaguars logo on the hip and a tri-color pattern down the player’s leg.
In November 2015, as one of eight teams participating in Nike’s “Color Rush” initiative for four games of Thursday Night Football during the 2015 season, Jacksonville introduced an all-gold second alternative uniform. The set features a gold jersey with black sleeves and black trim, as well as all gold pants. The white front and back numbers are lined in the teal accent color and bordered by black. The numbers on the shoulders are white with black borders. The set also features gold undershirts and socks.(112)
2018 – Present
On April 19th, 2018, the Jaguars again revealed re-designed uniforms. The new design returns to an all-black gloss helmet and removes many of the complicated details from the previous set. For the first time, there are no borders at all on any of the jersey numbers. There are no stripes or team logo on the pants; only an NFL logo and a Nike logo, which is the first and only of its kind in the NFL. Like the 2009 uniform set, the only gold in the uniform set belongs to the jaguar logo itself, and the block number font is not distinct from that used by other teams. The sleeve trim and collar trim are both a different color than the rest of the jersey, that and the solitary jaguar logo are the only distinct markings on the jersey. For the first time, the sock has a teal stripe between the black and white stripes. The black jersey is the primary, as it has been since 2012, and the teal is the alternate. The Jaguars continued to pair the uniforms with either black or white pants, but added teal pants for the first time.(113)(114)
In 2019, the Jaguars began wearing either solid black or white socks as part of a new NFL mandate allowing solid – colored hosiery on the field.
In week 3 of the 2020 season against the Miami Dolphins, the Jaguars wore an all – teal ensemble for the first time, complete with solid teal socks.(115)
On February 17th, 2021, the Jaguars announced that the club would return to wearing teal jerseys as its designated primary home jersey color.(116)(117)
On July 18th, 2024, the Jaguars unveiled throwback teal “Prowler” uniforms based on the style worn from 1995 to 2008. The number style used was similar to the one updated in the 1997 season(118)(119). On July 25th, the Jaguars unveiled a new white alternate helmet that would be worn with the alternate black jersey with white pants.(120)
Stadium
EverBank Stadium (formerly known as Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, Alltel Stadium, EverBank Field, and TIAA Bank Field) is located on the north bank of the St. Johns River, and has been the home of the Jaguars since the team’s first season in 1995. The stadium has a capacity of 67,814, with additional seating added during the Florida – Georgia Game and the Gator Bowl.(121)
The stadium served as the site of Super Bowl XXXIX in addition to five Jaguar playoff games including the 1999 AFC Championship Game(122) it also hosted the ACC Championship Game from 2005 to 2007 and the River City Showdown in 2007 and 2008.
From 1997 to 1997 and again from 2006 to 2009, the stadium was named Jacksonville Municipal Stadium(123). From 1997 to 2006, the stadium was referred to as Alltel Stadium(124). The naming rights were purchased by EverBank prior to the 2010 season(125). Prior to the 2018 season the Jaguars announced the stadium would be renamed TIAA Bank Field.(126)
The stadium received a substantial upgrade in 2014 with the addition of new scoreboards, pools, cabana seating and premium seating that includes 180 field – level seats(127). The scoreboards are 60 feet high and 362 feet long. The new scoreboards are the world’s largest video boards(128). Two 25 feet by 12 feet pools were installed in the north end zone along with the cabana seating. The cost of the stadium upgrades were $63 million dollars, of which owner Shahid Khan helped finance $20 million dollars.(129)
2. Shahid Khan (2012 – Present)
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team plays its home games at EverBank Stadium.
Founded alongside the Carolina Panthers in 1995 as an expansion team, the Jaguars competed in the AFC Central until they were moved to the AFC South in 2002. The franchise is owned by Shahid Khan, who bought the team from its original majority owner Wayne Weaver in 2012.(7)(8)(9)
The Jaguars saw early success during their second through fifth seasons, which saw them make the playoffs each year, win two division titles, and appear in two AFC Championship Games. They are the youngest NFL expansion team to appear in a conference championship (by their second season in 1996, along with the Panthers) and clinch their conference’s top seed (by their fifth season in 1999). The Jaguars have been less successful since, with only four playoff appearances and two division titles since 2000(10). They are one of four NFL franchises that have never played in the Super Bowl alongside the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and Houston Texans.
History
Creation
In 1989, the prospective ownership group Touchdown Jacksonville! was organized with the intention of bringing an NFL franchise to Jacksonville(11). In 1991, the NFL announced plans to add two expansion teams(12). In 1994, Touchdown Jacksonville! announced a bid for a team, and Jacksonville was ultimately chosen as one of five finalists, along with Charlotte, St. Louis, Baltimore, and Memphis(13). Charlotte was awarded the first franchise, which would become the Carolina Panthers, in October 1993(14). The decision for selecting the second expansion city was delayed a month. At the time, St. Louis was considered the favorite for the second franchise(15). However, the NFL owners voted 26 – 2 in favor of awarding the 30th franchise to Jacksonville(16). For their opening season in 1995, the Jaguars took part in the 1995 expansion draft to help bolster their roster. The Jaguars, along with the Panthers, alternated picks from lists of unprotected players from existing franchises.(17)(18)
Tom Coughlin (1995 – 2002)
Tom Coughlin was hired to be the first head coach of the franchise on February 21st, 1994(19). The Jaguars took part in their first NFL draft in 1995. Their first pick in franchise history was the second overall pick in the first round, which was used on eventual Hall of Fame offensive tackle Tony Boselli out of USC.(20)(21)
On September 3rd, 1995, the Jaguars played their first regular season game, a 10 – 3 loss to the Houston Oilers(22). In week 2, against the Cincinnati Bengals, Randy Jordan caught the first touchdown in franchise history, a 71 – yard reception from quarterback Steve Beuerlein(23). The Jaguars would lose their first four games before breaking through against the Oilers in week 5 in a 17 – 16 victory(24). Over the course of the season, they would suffer through a seven – game losing streak before closing the season out with a 24 – 21 win over the Cleveland Browns. The Jaguars went 4 – 12 in their first season(25). The team saw Mark Brunell and Steve Beuerlein both start games at quarterback.(26)
Prior to their second season, the Jaguars drafted Kevin Hardy with the second overall pick in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft. The team also got Tony Brackens and Aaron Beasley in the draft(27). With Brunell leading at quarterback, the team improved in 1996. With the team sitting at 4 – 7, the Jaguars reeled off five straight wins to finish with a 9 – 7 mark, they finished second in the AFC Central, and made the postseason for the first time. The team had two wide receivers go over 1,000 yards in Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith(28). The Jaguars won their first postseason game in franchise history with a 30 – 27 victory over the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round(29). Following a 30 – 27 win over the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round, the Jaguars saw their run end in the AFC Championship with a 20 – 6 loss to the New England Patriots.(30)(31)
The 1997 season saw the team go 11 – 5 and finish second in the AFC Central. McCardell and Smith once again both recorded over 1,000 receiving yards(32). The Jaguars qualified for the postseason, which was short – lived with a 42 – 17 loss to the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card Round(33). The 1998 season saw the team win their first divisional title by going 11 – 5. The team defeated the New England Patriots 25 – 10 in the Wild Card round before falling to the New York Jets, 34 – 24 in the Divisional Round(35)(36). The Jaguars reached new heights in the 1999 season with a franchise – best division – winning 14 – 2 season(37). The team defeated the Miami Dolphins, 62 – 7 in the Divisional Round, which would be Dan Marino’s final game(38). The Jaguars saw their season end in the AFC Championship with a 33 – 14 loss to the Tennessee Titans, who were responsible for all three of their losses that year(39). Despite Taylor, McCardell, and Smith all putting together successful statistical seasons in 2000, the Jaguars took a step back and missed the postseason(40). The team slipped further in 2001 with a 6 – 10 record(41). In the 2002 season, the team went 6 – 10 once again and Coughlin was fired following the season.(42)(43)
Jack Del Rio (2003 – 2011)
The Jaguars hired Jack Del Rio to be the team’s second head coach following the 2002 season(44). The Jaguars drafted quarterback Byron Leftwich with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2003 NFL draft(45). Leftwich would eventually replace Brunell as starting quarterback. The Jaguars went 5 – 11 in the 2003 season. One bright spot on the season was Taylor rushing for over 1,500 yards(46). In the 2005 season, Del Rio led the team back into the postseason with a 12 – 4 finish and 2nd – place finish in the AFC South(48). The return to the postseason was short – lived with a 28 – 3 loss to the New England Patriots in the Wild Card Round(49). The 2006 season saw the arrival of quarterback David Garrard. The Jaguars went 8 – 8 and missed the postseason(50). The 2007 season was an improvement to a 11 – 5 record and return to the postseason(51). The team defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31 – 29 in the Wild Card Round before falling to the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round(52)(53). The following year saw the team take a major step back with a 5 – 11 mark and last place finish in the division(55). In 2010, the team finished second in the division with an 8 – 8 mark but missed the postseason(56). The team used their first-round draft pick (#10 overall) on Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert prior to the 2011 season(57). Following a 3 – 8 start, Del Rio was fired and Mel Tucker finished the year with a 2 – 3 mark as interim.(58)(59)(60)
Mike Mularkey
Mike Mularkey was hired to be the Jaguars’ third head coach prior to the 2012 season(61). The team went 2 – 14, which marked the worst season in franchise history at the time(62). Mularkey was fired following the season.(63)
Gus Bradley (2013 – 2016)
Prior to the 2013 season, Gus Bradley was hired to be the team’s fourth head coach(64). Chad Henne was the starting quarterback for the majority of the 2013 season, which saw the team go 4 – 12(65). Prior to the 2014 season, the Jaguars drafted Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft(66). The change at quarterback did not see instant improvement as the team finished 3 – 13(67). The 2015 season saw the team finish 5 – 11. One bright spot was quarterback Blake Bortles passing for the most yards and touchdowns in franchise history with 4,428 and 35(68)(69). Following a 2 – 12 start to the 2016 season, Gus Bradley was fired(70). Interim coach Doug Marrone split the final two games of the season.(71)
Doug Marrone (2017 – 2020)
Marrone was named the full – time head coach prior to the 2017 season(72). The 2017 season saw the Jaguars win the AFC South with a 10 – 6 mark being led by a strong defensive unit(73)(74). The season marked the first division title for the team since 1999(75). The team made the playoffs for the first time since the 2007 season(76). In the Wild Card Round, the Jaguars defeated the Bills 10 – 3(77). In the Divisional Round, they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 45 – 42(78). In their first AFC Championship game since the 1999 season, they lost to the New England Patriots 24 – 20(79). The game featured a controversial defensive play where Myles Jack recovered a Patriots fumble and had a path for a touchdown but the play was blown dead.(80)
The Jaguars were not able to capitalize on the success of the 2017 season in the following year. The 2018 team went 5 – 11 and Bortles getting benched later in the season(81)(82). The Jaguars signed Super Bowl LII MVP quarterback Nick Foles prior to the 2019 season(83). However, Foles was lost for most of the season from a broken collarbone suffered in Week 1 against the Chiefs(84). The team turned to 2019 sixth-round draft pick Gardner Minshew, who filled n for most of the 6 – 10 season(85)(86). The 2020 was the worst season in the history of the franchise with a 1 – 15 mark(87). Minshew suffered multiple injuries to his throwing hand during the season, which forced Mike Glennon and Jake Luton to start at quarterback(88)(89). Following the end of the 2020 season, Marrone was fired.(90)
Urban Meyer
In what would become one of the most ill – fated coaching hires in NFL history, the Jaguars hired Urban Meyer to be the next coach of the team prior to the 2021 season(91). The team drafted Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the top overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft(92). Meyer was fired after a 2 – 11 start(93). He was only the fourth coach since the AFL – NFL merger not to finish a full season(94). Darrell Bevell finished the year as interim with a 1 – 3 mark.(95)
Doug Pederson (2022 – 2024)
Prior to the 2022 season, the Jaguars hired Super Bowl LII-winning coach Doug Pederson to be their next head coach(96). The team saw immediate improvement with a 9 – 8 record and a division title(97)(98). The Jaguars defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 31 – 30 in the Wild Card Round(99). The game featured the third-largest comeback in NFL postseason history with the Jaguars trailing 27 – 0 at one point(100). The Jaguars’ season ended with a 27 – 20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.(101)
In the 2023 season, the Jaguars finished with a 9 – 8 mark once again but failed to qualify for the playoffs.(102)
On January 6th, 2025, Pederson was fired after three seasons with the team, during which the team was 22 – 29 (.431), with one playoff appearance.(103)(104)
Logos and Uniforms
The Day after the NFL awarded the expansion team to Jacksonville, Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver held up the Jaguars’ proposed silver helmet and teal jersey at the NFL owners’ meeting in Chicago. The team’s colors were to be teal, gold, and silver with black accents. However, this jersey and helmet design, with a gold leaping jaguar, created controversy. Ford Motor Company, then-parent of the automaker Jaguar, believed that the Jaguars’ logo bore too much resemblance to the automaker’s logo. Though no lawsuit was brought to trial, lawyers from the team and the automaker negotiated an ultimately amicable agreement whereby Jaguar would be named the official car of the Jaguars, and the Jaguars would redesign their uniforms.(105)
The new logo was a snarling jaguar head with a teal tongue, which Weaver said was his wife’s touch. He also claimed that the teal tongue came from “feed Panthers to our Jaguars” – an obvious jab at their expansion brethren. During the Jaguars’ first – ever preseason game teal – colored candies were handed out to all the fans who attended, turning their tongues a teal color just like on the logo. Additionally, raspberry lollipops were handed out by the “Candy Man” in section 142 to also turn the home fans’ tongues teal.
In 2009, Weaver announced that he wanted to “clean up” the team’s image. This meant the elimination of the full-body crawling Jaguar logo, the clawing Jaguar, and the two previous wordmarks which bent around these logos.
In February 2013, Jaguars owners Shahid Khan, who had acquired the team in late 2011, introduced a new brand identity for the team that included a new logo, wordmark, and secondary logo. The new Jaguar head logo was intended to be “fiercer” and more realistic(106). The secondary logo incorporated the new Jaguar head logo along with the first official usage of the team’s popular nickname “Jags”. The two images were encased in a shield-style shape, designed to be a tribute to Jacksonville’s military community.(4)
Beginning in 2013, the Jaguars began to feature more gold prominently than in the past. From 2009 to 2012, gold had only been used in the team logo and as a minor accent color.
Uniforms
For most of their history, the Jaguars have done what many other NFL teams located in subtropical climates traditionally practice: wear their white jerseys at home during the first half of the season – forcing opponents to wear their dark ones under the sweltering autumns in Jacksonville. the only exceptions were in 2004 and 2008 – 2010, when the Jaguars chose to wear teal for all home games. In the preseason, the Jaguars typically wear teal at home, since these games are played at night when there is very little advantage with the heat.
1995 – 2001
Following the logo change, the redesigned uniforms featured an all-black helmet, white pants with teal, black, and gold stripes, and numbers with gold inner trim and black outer trim. The home jersey was teal with white numbers and the away jersey was white with teal numbers. Both jerseys had a black collar and no sleeve stripes.
A prowling jaguar on each sleeve replaced the leaping jaguar going across both shoulders in the original design. The Jaguars in 1995 were the first NFL team have two-tone borders on their numbers and lettering, and the first NFL team to show a complex logo (the crawling jaguar) on the sleeve.
Minor modification were introduced to the Jaguars uniform during this time, most notably the font of the jersey numbers, replacing the original block numbers with a unique font. Two stripes were also added to the end of the sleeve below the prowling jaguar.
2002 – 2008
The team introduced a black alternate jersey in 2002. During that same year, the team also introduced alternate black pants, worn with either the white or teal jersey. After the black pants were introduced, the white pants would only be seen for the first few games of the year, presumably due to the heat. The black pants originally included two team stripes down each side. The fan reaction to the extra black in the alternate jersey and alternate pants was positive, so in 2004 the Jaguars went through a formal uniform change, which teams are only allowed to do once every five years. These changes were mostly to the away look. Before 2004, the white away jerseys had black numbers with teal and gold trim, but after, the white jerseys had black numbers with teal and gold trim. The black pants were also changed. The teal stripes were replaced with the jaguar logo on each hip. Teal almost disappeared from the away uniform.
The stripes on the white pants were altered in 2008 so that the center, thickest stripe was black, and its accents were teal. In the 2008 year, the gold in the uniforms noticeably shifted from a bright yellow metallic appearance to a more beige color.
2009 – 2012
The Jaguars unveiled new uniforms for the 2009 season. Team owner Wayne Weaver reportedly wanted to “clean up” the look, feeling that the team had too many uniform styles. The new uniforms were introduced in a press conference on April 22nd.(107)(108)
At this press conference, Weaver elaborated that different people had taken different liberties with the Jaguars’ image over the years, singling out the “all black” look which the team wore for every prime – time home game from 2003 to 2007 as a point of regret. He also said that the team would wear their teal jerseys at home even on hot days, saying that the practice of choosing to wear white on hot days had also diluted the team’s image. The new uniform reflected a simpler look overall. The collar and sleeve ends are the same color as the rest of the jersey. The crawling jaguar was removed. The numbers on the jerseys were changed to a simpler, block font with a thicker, single-color border. After all of these subtractions, two features were added. The first was a “Jaguars” wordmark underneath the NFL insignia on the chest. The second was two thin “stripes” of off-color fabric which were added to each mid-seam of the jersey, curling up the neckline on the front and below the number on the back. The stripe on the home jersey is a white line next to a black line next to a teal line, again matching the numbers. The pants have similar stripes, both for the home and away uniform. The away uniforms were still black pants and numbers on a white jersey, but they now used teal as the only accent color as opposed to using gold in previous years. The Jaguars’ identity in terms of colors, beginning in 2009 is exclusively teal and black, with gold only being used in the logo. The final change made to the Jaguars’ uniforms in 2009 was to the helmet. The new helmet and facemask were black just like the old ones, but when light hit the new ones in a certain way, both the helmet and facemask sparkled with a shiny teal appearance. These were the first helmets in professional football which changed color with different angles of light. The logo and number decals also incorporated this effect.(108)
Prior to the 2012 season, new Jaguars owner Shahid Khan announced that the team once again would use a black jersey, something they had not done since 2008. In September of that year, the team announced that it would use the black jersey and black pants as their primary home uniform. The teal jersey was resurrected as an alternate.(109)
2013 – 2017
On April 23rd, 2013, the Jaguars unveiled new uniforms designed by Nike. The primary home jersey is black with white numerals outlined in teal and gold. The road jersey is white with teal numerals outlined in black and gold, marking the first time since 2003 that the team has used teal numbers on their road jersey. The alternate jersey is teal with black numerals outlined in white and gold. The team had never before used black numerals on their teal jersey. All three jerseys feature a contrasting stripe that bends around the neck, and semi-glossy patches on the shoulders meant to resemble claw marks. The team added their new shield logo onto a patch just above the player’s heart, meant to pay tribute to Jacksonville’s military heritage.(110)
The helmet, first of its kind in the NFL, featured a glossy gold finish in the back that fades to matte black in the front, via a color gradient.(111)
The new uniform set includes black and white pants with the Jaguars logo on the hip and a tri-color pattern down the player’s leg.
In November 2015, as one of eight teams participating in Nike’s “Color Rush” initiative for four games of Thursday Night Football during the 2015 season, Jacksonville introduced an all-gold second alternative uniform. The set features a gold jersey with black sleeves and black trim, as well as all gold pants. The white front and back numbers are lined in the teal accent color and bordered by black. The numbers on the shoulders are white with black borders. The set also features gold undershirts and socks.(112)
2018 – Present
On April 19th, 2018, the Jaguars again revealed re-designed uniforms. The new design returns to an all-black gloss helmet and removes many of the complicated details from the previous set. For the first time, there are no borders at all on any of the jersey numbers. There are no stripes or team logo on the pants; only an NFL logo and a Nike logo, which is the first and only of its kind in the NFL. Like the 2009 uniform set, the only gold in the uniform set belongs to the jaguar logo itself, and the block number font is not distinct from that used by other teams. The sleeve trim and collar trim are both a different color than the rest of the jersey, that and the solitary jaguar logo are the only distinct markings on the jersey. For the first time, the sock has a teal stripe between the black and white stripes. The black jersey is the primary, as it has been since 2012, and the teal is the alternate. The Jaguars continued to pair the uniforms with either black or white pants, but added teal pants for the first time.(113)(114)
In 2019, the Jaguars began wearing either solid black or white socks as part of a new NFL mandate allowing solid – colored hosiery on the field.
In week 3 of the 2020 season against the Miami Dolphins, the Jaguars wore an all – teal ensemble for the first time, complete with solid teal socks.(115)
On February 17th, 2021, the Jaguars announced that the club would return to wearing teal jerseys as its designated primary home jersey color.(116)(117)
On July 18th, 2024, the Jaguars unveiled throwback teal “Prowler” uniforms based on the style worn from 1995 to 2008. The number style used was similar to the one updated in the 1997 season(118)(119). On July 25th, the Jaguars unveiled a new white alternate helmet that would be worn with the alternate black jersey with white pants.(120)
Stadium
EverBank Stadium (formerly known as Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, Alltel Stadium, EverBank Field, and TIAA Bank Field) is located on the north bank of the St. Johns River, and has been the home of the Jaguars since the team’s first season in 1995. The stadium has a capacity of 67,814, with additional seating added during the Florida – Georgia Game and the Gator Bowl.(121)
The stadium served as the site of Super Bowl XXXIX in addition to five Jaguar playoff games including the 1999 AFC Championship Game(122) it also hosted the ACC Championship Game from 2005 to 2007 and the River City Showdown in 2007 and 2008.
From 1997 to 1997 and again from 2006 to 2009, the stadium was named Jacksonville Municipal Stadium(123). From 1997 to 2006, the stadium was referred to as Alltel Stadium(124). The naming rights were purchased by EverBank prior to the 2010 season(125). Prior to the 2018 season the Jaguars announced the stadium would be renamed TIAA Bank Field.(126)
The stadium received a substantial upgrade in 2014 with the addition of new scoreboards, pools, cabana seating and premium seating that includes 180 field – level seats(127). The scoreboards are 60 feet high and 362 feet long. The new scoreboards are the world’s largest video boards(128). Two 25 feet by 12 feet pools were installed in the north end zone along with the cabana seating. The cost of the stadium upgrades were $63 million dollars, of which owner Shahid Khan helped finance $20 million dollars.(129)
