(10-31-2019, 08:14 PM)RedRooster28 Wrote: The other fellas covered some main current players, so I’ll do a very brief intro to the history of the squad you’re signing up for.

The Jags are one of the youngest franchises in the NFL, around 25 years old, and unquestionably one of the true underdog teams throughout their history.  Jacksonville has no other major US sport pro team, and many were shocked when they were awarded a team.  The national media, to this day, poops on the team and fans HARD, for being a smaller market.  Despite being expected to assume their rightful position as doormat, the Jaguars found nearly unprecedented early success as a franchise, along with their expansion brothers the Panthers.

Jacksonville recovered from a bumpy start in their second season, winning six of their final seven games, and squeaking into the playoffs.  The young squad found themselves heavy underdogs on the road against the Buffalo Bills, who were led by future Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly.  The Jags won, and retired Kelly in the process.  The next week, they faced the Super Bowl favorite Broncos, in a match no one gave them even a remote chance in.  The national media poured on every bad joke and stupid pun possible, and the Broncos laughed their way to an early exit, as the Jags triumphed again.  This victory is widely considered one of the absolute biggest upsets in NFL playoff history.  The Jags would lose the following week to the Patriots in the AFC Championship game.

The Jags made the playoffs from ‘96-‘99, including going 14-2 in ‘99.  That year their only two losses came against their division rival, the putrid detestable stinkin tacks (Tennessee Titans, though we retch to speak their name).  The ‘99 Jags were up to their old ways, retiring HoF QBs, this time Dan Marino in a 62-7 blowout in the 2nd round of the playoffs.  They had made the AFC Championship game again, one win from a Super Bowl berth, and the only team standing in their way was the aforementioned despicable stain of filth known as the Titans.  Tragically, the Jags fell again, ending a 15-3 season with all 3 losses coming to Tennessee.  Years later it was revealed the Titans’ coaches had obtained copies of the Jags playbooks that season, and so we are left to wonder what might have been if those games had been played in a spirit of honest competition and integrity.  Titans coaches were the ones who came out admitting about this controversy, so this isn’t loser speculation/excuse making.  The much delayed reveal combined with the fact the Jags are considered afterthoughts to much of the country resulted in the foul play never really garnering much attention from national media, but Jags fans remember.  We remember.

The early squads for the Jags were led by Tom Coughlin as head coach, and an explosive offense.  QB Mark Brunell, LT Tony Boselli, WRs Jimmy Smith & Keenan McCardell, and RBs Fred Taylor and Jimmy Stewart are some important players to recognize from those early offenses.

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.

Two seasons ago the Jags again returned to the AFC Championship Game, again losing in controversial fashion, this time to the Patriots (Myles Jack Wasn’t Down).  The arrow is pointing up for this team with a young QB currently turning heads all over the league.

As an out of town fan (Virginia boy) with no ties to Jax, other than fandom since ‘96, welcome aboard brother.  You made the right choice.  The Jaguars were maligned for playing overseas by all the other fanbases, but our ownership wanted to establish a true footing there- he’s committed to you guys just as he is to Jax.  We volunteered to play in front of you guys when other teams saw it as punishment or tried to pull strings to avoid it.  Shad deserves UK fans.  The Jags deserve fans.

Ever the underdog, never the doormat.  Go Jags baby.

Duuuuvvaaaalllll