5 greatest Jacksonville Jaguars quarterbacks of all-time
By Luke Sims
![Sep 18, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) tosses the ball in the air before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports Sep 18, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) tosses the ball in the air before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/BlackAndTeal-cover-982c348da3f62f18d6682c47547fa4b9b5859c40330c493a313278590c7d4d6e.jpg)
1) Mark Brunell: 63-54 record, 60.4 completion percentage, 144 touchdowns, 86 interceptions, 7.1 yards per attempt, 214.2 yards per game.
While David Garrard was an efficient quarterback who holds the latest fond memories for Jags fans, Mark Brunell’s tenure can only be looked back at as magical.
The 1996 Cinderella run is hands-down the best series of moments in Jacksonville Jaguars history. Leading the NFL in passing yards with 4367 yards and yards per attempt (7.8), Brunell somehow threw just 19 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
And after that magical season that ended in heartbreaking fashion during the AFC Championship, Brunell helped lead the Jaguars to other impressive seasons. He led the most talented team in franchise history during the 1999 14-2 season that cemented a rivalry with the Tennessee Titans after losing to them three times, the last of which was in the AFC Championship.
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No Jaguars quarterback led the team to a better run than Brunell’s 1996-1999 stretch. He also played some pretty good ball until his final season in 2003.
The Jags owe a lot to Brunell and his ability to lead a young team. He had plenty of help from his receivers, running game, and dominant defense, but he also managed to take control of games when needed and to play good enough to scrape by when needed as well. There was simply something magical in the way he played the game.
It has been a decade and a half since the Jaguars had someone as good as Brunell suiting up regularly for games. Maybe they’ll find someone else who can match him in the future. Or, just maybe, that person is already on the roster.