(10-31-2019, 08:14 PM)RedRooster28 Wrote: After the heartbreak of ‘99, the Jags kind of came unraveled, with severe salary cap issues.  Eventually Coughlin would be let go, and Jack Del Rio would take his place as head coach.  This is probably already longer than you care to read so I’ll go super summary from here:

The Jags struggled to regain relevancy as nationally they alternated between being a punchline, and being forgotten about completely.  Some free agent players saw the team as a paid vacation, so fans tend to be fiercely loyal and protective of those Jags who played their hearts out for us on bad teams, knowing they could probably find more success/recognition elsewhere.  Over the years, the Jaguars developed an identity of being known for running the football, and tough defense.  
Our original owner Wayne Weaver sold the team to our current one, Shad Khan.  An extremely impressive man, he came to the US at like age 16 with something nutty like $500 or so, got his education, and built himself into a billionaire, and the first ever non-white owner of an NFL franchise, which, personally, I think is ultra cool.  He poured a ton of money into the Jaguar facilities, giving our players every advantage and opportunity to succeed.  I like him.

I think you sold the Del Rio "keep chopping wood" era a little short. Ultimately it was unsuccessful but there were two great seasons, making the playoffs in 2005 and 2007 and having a really fun playoff run in 2007, that year being the *first* time the Jags beat the Steelers at home twice. The 2010 season was also competitive with a chance to win the division twice in the last two games but falling short in both games. Those losses ultimately led to Del Rio's dismissal although it wouldn't happen until the following year. He was a good leader if not a great coach.

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