Jaguars' Playoff Chances Get Odd Co-Sign

As far as omens go, the Jacksonville Jaguars just got a pretty bad one.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (3) rushes for yards against Tennessee Titans safety Sanoussi Kane (42) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 41-7, capturing the AFC South title. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars don't need luck. If anything, chance wasn't on their side throughout the 2025 NFL season. This team has endured a host of misfortunes to get to where they are now. Two of their four losses this year included brutal, controversial defensive pass interference calls that ultimately extended their opponents' game-winning drives.

They lost Travis Hunter Jr., a rookie starter on both sides of the ball whom they traded a haul for, to a season-ending knee injury just as he was finding his rhythm as a wide receiver and a cornerback. They've also overcome extended absences from other key pieces, such as Brian Thomas Jr., Jourdan Lewis, Travon Walker, and Eric Murray. That doesn't mean the Jaguars and their fans can't still be superstitious, though.

ESPN's First Take cast of Stephen A. Smith, Shae Cornette and Ryan Clark share a laugh with Bethune-Cookman athletic director Reggie Theus during the live show at B-CU, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. | Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jaguars just got the worst co-sign possible

Believe it or not, Stephen A. Smith was once a highly respected sports analyst. A pioneer in the debate space, he's one of the pillars of sports media as we know it today, for better and for worse. Nowadays, it's mostly worse. Smith is largely credited with the industry's preference for hot takes and clippable soundbites over earnest analysis in the modern era.

It's hard to shake the image of him visibly playing solitaire on his phone while seated at the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers last year. Even if the world wanted to forget, he made sure no one would, as he'd go on to sign an endorsement deal with a mobile solitaire app and do ads making light of his embarrassing gaffe.

Who's going to win the Super Bowl? Stephen A. Smith says his pick is going to "shock everybody."

Watch a full sit down interview with Stephen A. Smith at 8pm ET on Monday January 12 on ABC News Live Prime’s “All Access with Linsey Davis” — streaming on @DisneyPlus and @Hulu. pic.twitter.com/05Uq7D6eGo

— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) January 6, 2026

His hot take for the NFL playoffs this season? The Jacksonville Jaguars will emerge from their side of the bracket and represent the AFC in Super Bowl LX. Considering his history for picks, this is a co-sign that no one from Duval should want. Before the season began, he predicted the Baltimore Ravens would win it all. They didn't even make the playoffs.

There's a Reddit thread floating out there on the internet documenting how he incorrectly chose the winner of the NBA Finals six years in a row, between 2011 and 2016. It's not like he's never been right before, though. He picked the Los Angeles Rams to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022. He picked the Philadelphia Eagles last year! Maybe, just maybe, he might be on to something with the Jaguars.

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