How Jaguars Have Proven the Value in Patience with Development

There's been a lot of discourse around the NFL this season regarding the development of quarterbacks, or more specifically, the lack thereof. When the Indianapolis Colts called up 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement to try to save their dwindling playoff hopes, it raised a question: Is this grandpa, who's five years removed from his last taste of NFL action, really the best option available?

He performed admirably considering the circumstances, but ultimately, he's led the Indianapolis Colts to three straight losses and elimination from postseason contention. It was befuddling that Indy couldn't find a younger former pro or one of the many recently drafted QBs who are currently out of the league to run its offense.

That did paint a picture that the NFL no longer develops its quarterback prospects, but taking a look at the Jacksonville Jaguars and a few other teams in the league reveals the truth: no one has the patience to do so anymore.

Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL, Trevor Lawrence, Indianapolis Colts — Dec 28, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) reacts after a touchdown during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The Jaguars never gave up on Trevor Lawrence

The 2025 NFL season has been a strange one. Many of the top quarterbacks of yesteryear will be watching the playoffs from home, including Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott, and possibly Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, reclamation projects across the league, like Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold, and Mac Jones, were dominating.

It wasn't just the cast-offs, either. It was also young quarterbacks that people were ready to give up on, such as the Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams and the Jacksonville Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence. T-Law had shown plenty of potential in his first few years, but pundits and detractors were ready to move on from him after two seasons of inconsistent play and injuries. Some were claiming that the Jags would have been better off with Mac Jones after his strong showing with the San Francisco 49ers.

Trevor Lawrence during the Jaguars' 7-game winning streak:

🐆 91.2 PFF grade (T-2nd among QBs)
🐆 21 total TDs (1st)
🐆 8.2 yards per pass (3rd)
🐆 17 big-time throws (2nd) pic.twitter.com/UodZcWxR99
— PFF (@PFF) January 1, 2026

Jacksonville never gave up on him, though, and he rewarded the franchise's patience with an MVP-level campaign and a postseason bid. Offensive Coordinator Grant Udinski was asked about the importance of patience in developing quarterbacks:

"I don't know that I would necessarily even frame it as patience, because I think there's a commitment from the top down, starting with Liam [Coen], to the staff, to the quarterback room, to every player in there. There's a commitment to our process, and there's an understanding... that whether it is a positive or negative result, you're sticking with the process the next day regardless."

I’m gonna keep saying it, but Jags OC Grant Udinski can’t be slept on for teams looking for offensive HCs in this upcoming cycle. https://t.co/sfuKudXJw9
— Jonas Aranda (@theJonasAranda) December 27, 2025

"So, it's a beautiful thing in the sense that you don't have to be concerned about, hey, we’ve got to wait another week to see if this works out. We’ve got to wait another month. We're going to stick with that process now... that really starts with Liam and what he's built here and the foundation and the attitude and the mindset that the guys approach every day of work with.

"So, it may sound like a cop-out answer, but it doesn't require that feeling of patience and sitting around, and that there's not a lot of stress to say, we need this at a certain time. Because we do have that mindset of just going 1-0 today, or 1-0 in our process, whatever it may be."

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