Florida Sports Wire

  By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire JACKSONVILLE - It began with all the signs of bad afternoon. The national anthem could not be heard over the public address system, but the crowd began to sing the lyrics. A scoreboard sign trying to get the fans to chant “defense” was spelled “defence” – a British spelling maybe foretelling more Jags’ games across the pond. However, it was soon corrected. Then we had the thunderstorm delay – rumored to be the first in Jags’ history – that only yielded some rain sprinkles. It appeared the Jags would have a long day in the season and home opener. However, it resulted in one of the better Jags’ games in recent years as well as one of their better season openers in a 26-10 rout of Carolina. This was an afternoon when the Jags were effective and efficient with the fanfare. They didn’t need Travis Hunter to make any highlight plays on both sides of the ball. A new optimistic feeling has emerged under new head coach Liam Coen after an insecure feel...

  By Mike Bonts, Jacksonville SportsDay JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Florida Sports Wire)— The Carolina Panthers’ own mistakes on offense hurt them in a 26-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL regular season opener. Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw his 70th career touchdown pass on a six-yard completion to tight end Hunter Long. Lawrence also recorded 19 completions. Carolina QB Bryce Young threw an interception and fumbled in the first half, turnovers that led to 10 Jaguars points. Carolina trailed 10-3 prior to the 76-minute delay because of lightning in the Jacksonville area. Following the weather delay, Travis Etienne Jr. popped a 71-yard run. Three runs later, the Jaguars were in the end zone with a 17-3 lead. Etienne Jr. registered 143 rushing yards. Brian Thomas Jr. also ran for a six-yard score for Jacksonville. The only points for the visitors were on a 48-yard field goal by rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald, until Young hit Chuba Hubbard for a touchdown pass i...

  JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jaguars have announced three additions to the coaching staff as part of the NFL’s Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program: Ari Confesor, Anthony Gaitor and Dawson Odoms. The three coaches will be with the team for the Jaguars’ offseason program from May to June. For over 30 years, the league-wide fellowship program has helped outstanding coaches gain exposure to NFL training camps and offseason workout programs. Confesor brings 15 years of coaching and scouting experience with stops at the University of Rhode Island (2009-12 and 2013-18), the Kansas City Chiefs (2012-13), College of the Holy Cross (2018-19), the United States Air Force Academy (2019-23) and Wake Forest University (2023-25). He most recently served as wide receivers coach at Wake Forest University and tutored the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards, WR Taylor Morin, to Honorable Mention All-ACC honors in 2024. Confesor earned a bachelor’s degree in political scien...

GREEN BAY, Wis.— The Colorado Buffaloes' Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, become the highest drafted cornerback and second-highest drafted wide receiver in NFL history.  Matching the highest draft pick in CU history alongside Bo Matthews (No. 2 overall to the San Diego Chargers in 1974), Hunter is just the fourth top 5 pick in CU history also joining Byron White (No.4 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1938) and Michael Westbrook (No. 4 to the Washington Redskins in 1995).  Hunter became the most decorated player in college football history last year being named the consensus national player of the year by winning the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award and both the AP and Sporting News Player of the Year honors.  He was also repeated as the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) while winning the Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy as national defensive player of the year and th...

By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire Let the new regime begin.  New GM James Gladstone, and new head coach Liam Coen, and executive vice president and director of football operations Tony Boselli made their first mark on the eve of the league’s free agent signing period that begins Monday. It was a fast and furious window that left some skidmarks.  Their latest moves certainly have some former ties that definitely triggered them. They also are in time for the Jags to be major players in free agency and to begin to change the team’s landscape. They did send some tremors throughout greater Jacksonville by releasing tight end Evan Engram, who they signed him to a three-year, $41 million deal in July 2023. Engram caught 234 passes over the last three years - 114 in ‘23- and became an integral part  of the Jags’ offense. Many believed Engram was simply a five-yardo-out pass catcher, but he was more than that. The trio also released cornerback Ronald Darby, who turned out to be...

 By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire JACKSONVILLE - Trade Trevor Lawrence? At first mention, it seems unthinkable.  But there have been some tires kicked surrounding the fourth-year quarterback, especially with a number of teams seeking someone under center. Lawrence has been linked to the Steelers, and those rumors persist. He also reportedly has been in the scope of the Giants and Jets. Jaguars officials quickly and flatly denied any trade talk for the once viewed generational player.  With new head coach and former Bucs’ offensive guru Liam Coen in place, the Jags have viewed the Lawrence-Coen connection as a perfect fit. The Jags confirmed their stance with Lawrence’s five-year, $275 million deal. The Jags finally have a general manager in 34-year-old James Gladstone, who brings a Rams’ pedigree to Florida with him. Don’t forget Jags longtime mainstay Tony Boselli, who is now the team’s VP of football operations.  It’s a revamped regime in place, and one of the...

 JACKSONVILLE –  The Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to terms with Liam Coen to become the team’s head coach.  “To repeat my message earlier this week, I am deeply committed to building a winner here in Jacksonville,” Jaguars team owner Shad Khan said today.  “I also believe in being judged by actions, not words.  That’s why I took swift and decisive action this week to hire Liam Coen as the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.  I am pumped that Liam is accepting the challenge and opportunity to build the winner that Jaguars fans and partners fully deserve.  I know our players feel the same.”   “Becoming the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars is an opportunity of a lifetime, and one that I am going to run with to instill a championship culture and winning tradition here in Duval,” Coen said. “This doesn’t happen without the support and opportunities that my family and I have been afforded throughout my career, especially during this pa...

 By Nancy Beecher, Florida Sports Wire The Jacksonville Jaguars have claimed WR Josh Reynolds off waivers, the team announced today. Additionally, the team has placed QB Trevor Lawrence on the Reserve/Injured List. Reynolds was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has appeared in 112 games (54 starts) with the Rams (2017-20), Titans (2021), Lions (2021-23) and Broncos (2024).  His career totals include 232 receptions for 3,116 yards and 20 touchdowns. Reynolds has also appeared in nine postseason contests, making five starts and registering 19 receptions for 318 yards and a touchdown. In 2024, he played in five games (one start) for Denver and posted 12 receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Reynolds attended Texas A&M from 2014-16 where he played in 38 games (36 starts) and totaled 2,788 yards and 30 touchdowns on 164 receptions.

By Nancy DeLander Beecher, Florida Sports wire NEW YORK — Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans has been suspended without pay for three games for repeated violations of rules intended to protect the health and safety of players and promote sportsmanship, including during Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan issued the suspension. In a letter to Al-Shaair, Runyan, who noted that Al-Shaair has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons, wrote: “During your game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 1, with 4:20 remaining in the second quarter, you were involved in a play that the League considers unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules. Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide...You led with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to th...

 LONDON - The New Egland Patriots raced out to a 10-lead in London over the Jacksonville Jaguars but were unable to sustain the momentum as Jacksonville, powered by a dominant offensive performance and a punt return touchdown, took over the game in the second quarter and never looked back in a 32-16 win. Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars attack that carried the day, posted over 350 total yards while putting 150-plus rushing yards on the Patriots defense for the third-straight week.  Lawrence completed 15-of-20 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown in his sixth international start. Tank Bigsby set new career-highs in rushing yards (118) and attempts (26), posting his second-career game with at least 100 yards and two touchdowns. After spending most of the first quarter on the sideline, Lawrence and the Jaguars offense got rolling on their second possession of the game, quickly traveling 68 yards in just eight plays. Lawrence completed six of his first seven...

 By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire After Monday night’s debacle in Buffalo, the Jaguars’ season already is at a crossroads. Their lack of urgency missing from Week One is lingering, and head coach Doug Pederson’s seat is very warm. The overall sense of confidence that began the season sizzled in the opening-game Miami sun. They will enter Houston Sunday with a 0-3 record with their postseason chances being an unsafe bet. Still, until Houston shows it can be a consistent winner, the AFC South is still up for grabs. The Texans may have taken a step back after the Vikings ravaged them last week. This week, they encountered another major blow when they learned tackling machine Foyesade Oluokun will be sidelined for an indefinite period. Heading into Texas, linebacker Devin Lloyd also is listed as questionable as well as wide receiver Gabe Davis, and safety Darnell Savage and corner Jarrian Jones in the secondary. Evan Engram was lost with a hamstring in the home opener. Owner Shan K...

J ACKSONVILLE –  The Jacksonville Jaguars have exercised the fifth-year option on QB Trevor Lawrence and RB Travis Etienne Jr. Lawrence is entering his fourth season with the team after originally being selected by Jacksonville as the first overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. He has appeared in 50 games (50 starts) and has recorded 1,116 completions for 11,770 yards and 58 touchdowns. He has also posted 205 rushing attempts for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns. Lawrence was voted as a team captain each year of his NFL career (2021-23) and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2022. He also has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week three times in his career, twice in 2022 (Week 3 & 12) and once in 2023 (Week 11).   In 2023, Lawrence completed 370 passes for 4,016 yards and 21 touchdowns. In Week 15, he eclipsed 300 completions becoming the second quarterback in franchise history to start his career with three seasons of at least 300 completions.   Etienne Jr. is entering hi...

By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire JACKSONVILLE - This was a game circled on the Titans’ calendar. Tennessee would enter EverBank Stadium Sunday afternoon, and a presumed battle for the AFC South title would be on the line. The Jaguars also had a future date in Tennessee circled as well. Since the start of the season, much has changed. The 3-6 Titans aren’t considered to be division contenders any longer as Will Levis has taken over at quarterback, and Derrick Henry isn’t running over people like he used to do in the past.  This is a Tennessee team that has recognized that they need to rebuild, and they could lose head coach Mike Vrabel to the Patriots as Bill Belichick’s likely replacement for next season.  The Jaguars have the fifth-best run defense, allowing 86.4 yards per game.  So, is this a “gimme” for the Jags? Hardly. At least, you can’t think that way before the kickoff. Their clunker last week against the 49ers has to be in the rear-view mirror. They need a q...

(Photo courtesy Dallas Cowboys) By Mike Bonts, Florida Sports Wire DALLAS – What may be a preview of things to come, an aggressive Jacksonville Jaguars offense took control in the first half and scored twice late for a 28-23 NFL preseason win over the Cowboys in Dallas Saturday night. Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw nine yards to Christian Kirk on a fourth and three to put the Black and Teal on the scoreboard first. The Jaguars went for two. Zay Jones caught a pass across the back of the end zone. “We have a lot of depth. Since I’ve been here, it’s definitely the deepest we’ve been. I would argue at every position, but definitely at receiver. We have a lot of good players. It’s going to be tough when it comes down to the end on who’s getting those last spots. We’ve got a lot of really good players," Lawrence said after the game. Jacksonville third string QB Nathan Rourke ran and threw for two fourth quarter touchdowns. The CFL product finished 9 of 17 passing for 153 y...

JACKSONVILLE ( www.sportsdayjax.com )  –   The Jacksonville  Jaguars  have announced eight additions to the coaching staff as part of the NFL’s Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program.  For over 30 years, the league wide program has helped outstanding coaches gain exposure to NFL training camps and offseason workout programs. All eight coaches will be with the team for the entirety of training camp, which began on Wednesday, July 26. For the second consecutive year,  Jaguars  Assistant Offensive Line Coach Todd Washington led the search for the participants. Washington has participated in the program five times as a member of East Texas Baptist University, the Los Angeles Chargers, the Los Angeles Rams, the Chicago Bears, and the Miami Dolphins.   “When I was asked to lead the selection process, I was eager to do it,” said Washington. “I take pride in trying to find the right people because I understand the value it can provide to both th...