‘This Is Why I Came Here’: Jaguars’ Newcomers Helping Fuel Winning Culture, Playoff Push
A year ago, Arden Key and Christian Kirk were in very similar situations to one another.
After each spent their first three seasons in the NFL without reaching the playoffs, Key and Kirk made their first playoff appearances last year with the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals, with Key and the 49ers advancing all the way to the NFC Championship Game.
Now, each knows what it takes. They have tasted success, but each wants more and knows exactly what it will mean to get there -- and how much sweeter the success will taste when doing it as Jacksonville Jaguars.
"I definitely signed up for this man. Going to the Super Bowl, going to the playoffs and winning the whole thing," Key told Jaguar Report on Monday.
"Last year, I was fortunate enough to spend my first playoff. And last year the season kind of went on. That year, we lost five in a row and then we started collecting wins and we snuck into the playoffs and then we went deep. So I see the same vision here.
With the Jaguars sitting at 7-8 and one Week 18 home win against the Tennessee Titans away from the playoffs, they have the experience of newcomers like Key and Kirk to thank.
"Yeah, it's just like, you know, for me, this is why I came here. To be able to help create opportunities like this and help this football team win," Kirk said in the locker room on Monday.
"Like I said, I just knew all of the potential that was in this locker room and in this building, and then you know, just seeing the city behind us and everybody, the fan base behind us. just how happy they are to see us having success, it just makes you want to go even harder, and really, you know, make this thing the way we want to make it."
Kirk and Key have been two of the most important additions the Jaguars made this offseason, but they aren't alone.
Kirk is 12 yards away from becoming just the sixth receiver in Jaguars history to record a 1,000-yard season, while also catching a team-leading seven touchdown grabs.
Meanwhile, Key has recorded 4.5 sacks and is third on the team in pressures and quarterback hits. Some of his biggest performances have came in the Jaguars' biggest games, such as in Week 15 when he recorded 1.5 sacks against the Dallas Cowboys.
Then there are additions such as Foyesade Oluokun, the NFL's leading tackler and arguably the most consistent performer on the Jaguars' defense. Zay Jones and Evan Engram have each helped elevate the Jaguars' passing offense, with both making clutch plays in big moments and providing the Jaguars with a physical element in the skill room.
The list goes on. Brandon Scherff has been rock steady at right guard and has battled through a grueling season. Darious Williams has been excellent on the outside over the last three weeks. Travon Walker was turning a corner before his ankle injury, and Luke Fortner has started 15 games at center.
General manager Trent Baalke went against his past philosophies and spent big in free agency to bring in veteran players and voices who could help the Jaguars win the important games in December, just like they have done this year.
Now Kirk, Key and the rest of the Jaguars' newcomers are helping change things in Jacksonville -- just like they all imagined they would.
"We are just more focused, more dialed in now than ever because we know the stakes ahead. We know that we win these two, we in the dance. We lose, we out," Key said.
"And that's just the mindset that we have. A sense of urgency, a sense of focus, a sense of detail, just up everything. Everything we've been doing thus far, just turn it up another level and that's what we preach."
