Following AFC Title Game, Jaguars Have a New Goal to Reach

As I am sitting in front of the TV, watching the AFC Championship between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, I am pondering how incredibly balanced the NFL has been this season. The absence of the Kansas City Chiefs from the postseason has allowed other teams to emerge into the fold in the AFC as potential contenders in the long-term, and one of those should be the Jacksonville Jaguars.

One year after "the greatest team in Jaguars history" went 4-13, the regime led by head coach Liam Coen, general manager James Gladstone, and EVP of Football Operations Tony Boselli orchestrated a culture change and plenty of schematic changes to flip the script to a 13-4 record and champions of the AFC South.

Gladstone Coen — Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone walks into the room with head coach Liam Coen following during a press conference at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

They may have lost in the first round to the Buffalo Bills, but expectations were smashed in 2025, and a newfound respect was given toward an organization ceremoniously known as a laughing stock in the NFL. Now, the Jaguars have a brand-new goal to reach, one that should become the expectation within the franchise: reaching the AFC Championship, striving for two more wins after.

Jaguars 2026 goal is clear as day

gladstone — Jan 4, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli and general manager James Gladstone look on after the game against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

After the Jaguars defeated the Broncos in Denver, the hype seemed real. Trevor Lawrence was having a career season, while new playmakers emerged in the passing offense under Coen. A massive road win against the AFC's No. 1 seed could give them an advantage heading into the playoffs. Unfortunately, it was the inconsistencies that plagued the Jaguars during the middle portion of the campaign that rid them of a chance at a deep playoff run.

Coen is a finalist for the Acocciasted Press' Coach of the Year award, and he could be one many times throughout his career as a head coach in Jacksonville. He has the team on the right path, and his approach is creative, innovative, and based on consistent evolution to a game that continues to ever-evolving sport. That gives the Jaguars an upper hand in the coming seasons.

Now, the goals have shifted dramatically, the expectations will be much higher, and the pressure increases for Coen, Gladstone, and Boselli. They will have to construct a roster this offseason that will have some flaws, along with the possibility that both offensive and defensive coordinators are coaching different teams.

Reaching the AFC Championship should be the goal going forward. This team has the talent and coaching to get there, along with the front office to build a roster good enough to make it. The Jaguars are in a new era of their franchise, one that could be one of the great runs in the team's history, if everything goes according to plan.

Coen TLaw — Dec 14, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen stands with quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) during the second quarter against the New York Jets at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

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