The 2023 season ended in heartbreak for the Jacksonville Jaguars, a campaign that promised so much yet delivered so little. The Jaguars started the season with a stellar 8-3 record but saw their fortunes swiftly decline. Injuries to key offensive players, including receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones and quarterback Trevor Lawrence, crippled the team's momentum, contributing significantly to their downfall.
Sidelined by injuries, ten starters or key players missed a combined 48 games, a statistic that speaks volumes about the adversity the team faced. The offensive line struggled immensely, recording the second-most runs in the league that went for no gain or a loss—120 runs to be precise. An astonishing 26.5% of their rushes resulted in zero yards or negative yardage, a glaring weakness that opponents ruthlessly exploited.
Defensively, the Jaguars were equally troubled. The team missed 126 tackles, earning them the dubious honor of having the fourth-most missed tackles in the league. Over the final six weeks of the season, the defense allowed an additional 44.4 yards per game on the ground compared to their performance in the first 12 weeks. This defensive collapse further compounded the Jaguars' woes.
The Jaguars' sole victory during their late-season skid came against the Carolina Panthers in a 26-0 shutout, a rare bright spot in an otherwise dismal stretch. Notably, Trevor Lawrence missed this game due to a shoulder injury, further underscoring the impact of their injury woes.
The season concluded with a 28-20 loss to the Tennessee Titans, cementing the Jaguars' final record at 9-8. Despite the disappointing end, the 2023 season marked the second consecutive winning season for the team, a feat they had not achieved since 2004-05. However, the feeling of opportunity lost lingered heavily. "Not to be able to win two out of the last six games, it still stings. Even though the season's over, it's like I still can't believe we couldn't do it," remarked a reflective Shad Khan, the Jaguars' owner.
For Khan, the season's collapse was more than just a series of unfortunate events; it was an organizational failure. "You fail as an organization. I look at it as an organizational failure," said Khan, embodying the frustration and disappointment that the entire franchise felt.
Amid this disappointment, there was a sliver of optimism for the future. The Jacksonville city council approved a $1.4 billion renovation plan for EverBank Stadium by a 14-1 vote. The agreement, which requires approval from 24 of the NFL's 32 owners, will see the renovation cost split evenly between the Jaguars and the city, each paying $625 million. The city also committed an additional $150 million over the next two seasons for stadium maintenance and repairs, taking on 55% of the total renovation costs.
The stadium renovation plan symbolizes hope and a new chapter for the Jaguars. Mayor Donna Deegan's words captured this sentiment perfectly: "I hope you all believe now." For Khan, this belief is something he has clung to from the very beginning. "A lot has changed from the inaugural season for the Weavers in 1995, to my first year in 2012, right through to today as we prepare to celebrate the Jaguars' 30th anniversary in the NFL. But there's been one constant throughout: Everyone wants to doubt Jacksonville. As of last night, that should no longer be the case. Not a good day for the Doubting Thomases," he proclaimed.
As the Jaguars look ahead, the challenges of the 2023 season will undoubtedly serve as hard-learned lessons. The path forward is fraught with obstacles, but the commitment to improvement is undeniable. The renovation of EverBank Stadium stands as a testament to this commitment, promising better days ahead for the Jaguars and their fans. Indeed, the journey is far from over, and for Jacksonville, the hope remains that the best is yet to come.