Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars, American professional gridiron football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, that plays in the American Football Conference (AFC) of the NFL.

The Jaguars began play as an expansion team in 1995, the same year that the Carolina Panthers of the National Football Conference (NFC) were also added to the NFL. The Jaguars’ first college draft pick was future All-Pro tackle Tony Boselli, who would serve as the anchor of a productive offense that helped the Jaguars quickly become a winning franchise. After posting a 4–12 record in their inaugural season, the Jaguars went 9–7 and earned a spot in the AFC playoffs the following season behind the standout play of quarterback Mark Brunell and wide receiver Jimmy Smith. The team then proceeded to win two postseason games on the road before losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game. After again qualifying for the playoffs in 1997, the Jaguars added running back Fred Taylor to their dynamic offense in 1998 and won their first division title that season. The following year the team’s 14–2 record was the best in the NFL, but Jacksonville was upset by their division rival Tennessee Titans in the AFC championship game.

The phenomenal start of the Jaguars franchise was slowed in 2000–03, during which the team won no more than seven games in any season. In 2005 and 2007 the Jaguars returned to the postseason but were eliminated by the Patriots on each occasion. Beginning in 2008, the Jaguars’ play fell off further, and in 2012 they registered an NFL-worst 2–14 record. Beginning in 2013, the Jaguars sacrificed one regular-season home game per season to “host” that contest in London in an effort to build up the team’s international appeal. While the team gained a larger fan base abroad, Jacksonville’s poor on-field play continued, with the Jaguars tallying a franchise-worst sixth straight season with double-digit losses in 2016.

Discover how ordinary objects work, and expand your understanding of the familiar.

SIGN UP

" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">

Thank you for signing up!"

Back to homepage

By clicking "Sign Up", you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Britannica Quiz

Great Moments in Sports Quiz

The Jaguars broke out in 2017 behind a young star-studded defense that propelled the team to a 10-win season and a division title. Jacksonville won its first two playoff games and had a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of the AFC championship game before being denied its first Super Bowl appearance by a Patriots’ comeback. The Jaguars plummeted back down the standings in 2018, finishing the season with a 5–11 record. After winning six games in 2019, they cratered in 2020, eking out a single victory to finish with a league-worst 1–15 record.

In the following offseason the team hired decorated collegiate coach Urban Meyer and drafted quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the number one pick. The choice of Meyer proved disastrous, as he was accused of creating a hostile environment for both athletes and coaches, including verbally abusing and even kicking a player; he was dismissed before the season had ended. The team recovered remarkably in 2022 under steadier coaching and Lawrence’s improvement, finishing 9–8 and earning a playoff spot. In the opening round the Jaguars fell behind 0–27 against the Los Angeles Chargers before storming back to win 31–30. They then lost a close game to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round. In 2023 Jacksonville again submitted a 9–8 record but this time missed the playoffs.

After the Jaguars went 4–13 in 2024, the team hired a new head coach, Liam Coen. In his first year, Jacksonville had a dramatic turnaround. It went 13–4, finished first in the AFC South division, and qualified for the playoffs.