Jaguars' Christian Kirk: 'I Feel Like I'm One of the Best Receivers in the NFL'

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk just wants his respect.

After all, he earned it in 2022, shutting down every criticism of his offseason mega-deal and helping fuel the Jaguars' offensive improvement and playoff push.

Speaking with Kay Adams on FanDuel's 'Up and Adams', Kirk explained why the noise he heard in March was different from what he heard in January, and where it ranks him among current NFL wideouts.

"Well, it's funny because I still feel like I don't get the respect that I deserve, and it's kind of been that way. And, you know, with all the noise and after I signed my deal this offseason, it was, you know, it was the loudest," Kirk said.

"And then now, you know, especially with the season that I had, you know, it started getting real quiet, and everybody kind of, you know, kind of hushed a little bit, but I just, I want my respect, you know, I feel like I'm one of the best receivers in the NFL. And that's the way I play. That's the chip that I carry on my shoulder and I'm gonna keep earning it."

Kirk, who the Jaguars signed to a controversial four-year, $72 million deal with $37 million guaranteed in March, was everything the Jaguars could have asked for in 2022 during a career year.

Kirk finished with career highs in yards (1,108), catches (84), and touchdowns (8) while also catching 15 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns in the playoffs. Kirk finished tied for 18th in catches, 14th in receiving yards, and tied for 11th in touchdown catches.

“For me, being honest, nobody really expected me to do much. That was the precedent that was set once everything kind of broke that I was coming here. I’ve always said it," Kirk said two days following the Jaguars' playoff loss at xit interviews.

"I know the type of player that I am, I know the type of player that I can be. There’s obviously some plays that I’d love to have back, and that’s going to be the next step for me to kind of keep ascending, keep helping this team win. For me, it’s just doing everything that I knew I could do, and a lot of people are going to say, silence the doubters, and this and that. I wasn’t really worried about that. I was worried about going out and playing my best ball. Like I said, when the expectations aren’t that high, all you can do is go out there and exceed them.”

After 2022, Kirk understandably doesn't want to be underrated any longer. Instead, he wants to be regarded by exactly what his production says -- just as he wants the Jaguars to be regarded as one of the NFL's best.

"Honestly, it starts with us, you know, as a team, coming back out next year, and being the team that we know that we can be and taking that next step, you know, going from the divisional to playing in the AFC championship to making a Super Bowl push and I know that's the only thing that we have in our minds," Kirk told Adams when asked about his goals for 2023.

"Obviously, it hurt. We got that taste in our mouth of you know, being that close to being one game away. And so, you know, we want to get back there."

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