Shad Khan On Jacksonville Jaguars’ Growing Confidence
The Jacksonville Jaguars finally feel like a big team after last season’s prime time exploits, according to owner Shad Khan.
The Jaguars won last year’s AFC South title thanks to a Week 18 clash with the Tennessee Titans. Jacksonville eventually went out of the playoffs to eventual Super Bowl champions Kansas City, but their 31-30 comeback win over the Chargers will live long in postseason history.
The comeback from 27-0 in the first half is the third-biggest comeback in NFL playoff history.
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Shad Khan says that big game experience will be invaluable for a Jaguars team primed to progress further next season.
“We hadn’t had a prime-time game in my ownership,” Shad Khan said.Â
“We hadn’t earned it. We didn’t deserve it. Here, we earned it. We deserve it. So, we get two in a row. Both of them are packed, including standing-room only tickets. Then to see the fans at both of the games hanging in. We’re down 27-0 and no one leaves.
“That shows really the enthusiasm, the belief the fans had. I know it made a huge difference for Trevor. He looked up and saw no one had left. There was a huge vote of confidence in him.”
Jacksonville came close to this level in 2017 when they reached the AFC Championship game. However then-coach Doug Marrone followed that up with three losing seasons. A failed dalliance with Urban Meyer as head coach eventually led to the hiring of Doug Pederson.Â
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Under Pederson, quarterback Trevor Lawrence earned his first Pro Bowl nod. Khan credits Pederson with restoring confidence to the Jacksonville locker room.
“The players believed in each other,” Khan said. “They believed in the coaches and they believed they were destined to win.
“We have a great head coach, we have a great general manager, and we have a great quarterback.
“That’s the trifecta for success in the NFL.”
