Why the Jaguars Don't Want Heroes, They Want Warriors

The Jacksonville Jaguars know exactly what kind of players they want to add this offseason.

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

After a tremendous 2025 NFL season that ended in playoff heartbreak, the Jacksonville Jaguars have to find a way to get over the next hump. Jumping from four wins to 13 and a division title is impressive. Going from a first-round exit to a Super Bowl victory might be an even steeper hill to climb.

Needless to say, General Manager James Gladstone has his work cut out for him this offseason. He doesn't have a first-round pick at his disposal, nor does he have much cap flexibility available in free agency. However, there are avenues for him to upgrade this roster. He also knows the exact type of player he needs to find: warriors.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen wait to see the result of a challenge during the second quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The difference between a hero and a warrior

Hero ball can be great. The Jacksonville Jaguars fell victim to it in their Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills, as Josh Allen donned his cape once again to drag his team into the Divisional Round. However, not everyone can be a hero, but anyone can be a warrior. Speaking to ESPN's Peter Schrager, Head Coach Liam Coen outlined the difference between the two and why he would rather have the latter:

"We ultimately came down to the hero versus the warrior. The hero and the warrior look similar. Like, you think about a hero, when you think about a warrior, like there’s a lot of similarities. And when you Google them, they look a lot alike. One just does the job, because they want the title of the hero, that glory that comes with it. The warrior just does the job, no matter what the circumstances are. Regardless of what the outcome may be, they go and do the job."

"We had a really tough moment in Houston, 19-point lead in the fourth quarter, and we didn’t finish. We did not play 60 minutes of winning football — that’s what it came down to. And we had a real open and honest conversation as a team… They understood the message, and I credit the players so much for taking that message and not taking it personally and actually tangibly using it in how we practiced and how we walk-through and how we’ve met and then ultimately on Sundays what it looks like because we turned around and beat the Chargers, you know, in a pretty solid football game where we actually played 60 minutes of some of our best football."

Liam Coen was able to turn his new team into a regiment of warriors. Now, it's on James Gladstone to find him some more this offseason.

To see what warriors the Jaguars can add this offseason, sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news.  SIGN UP HERE NOW.

Follow us on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and make sure you like our Facebook page, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.