Jacksonville Jaguars: 30 greatest players in franchise history
By John Buhler
52. . RB. (1995-99). James Stewart. 28. player
- Franchise record for rushing touchdowns (5), points in a game (30)
- Led team in rushing touchdowns three times (1996, 1998-99)
- Third in franchise history in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns
- 2,951 rushing yards for 33 touchdowns in Jaguars career
Some might argue that running back James Stewart should be higher up on this list. He is one of the greatest running backs in Jaguars history, no doubt. However, he never rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season, and has been blown out of the water by later Jaguars greats in the former of Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor.
But we would be foolish if Stewart did not garner inclusion on this top-30 list of Jaguar greats. To this day, he still has the greatest individual running back performance in Jaguars history.
On October 12, 1997, Stewart found pay dirt a ridiculous five times on the ground for Jacksonville. He rushed for 102 yards on 15 carries against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 38-21 victory. Stewart also set a franchise-record for most points scored in a game that Sunday with 30.
In his five-year stint with the Jaguars, Stewart led Jacksonville in rushing touchdowns on three separate occasions. His best season with the Jaguars would be his last in 1999. Stewart had 249 carries for 931 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns.
That 1999 Jaguars team was stacked, as Jacksonville went 14-2 that season, winning the now defunct AFC Central in the process. It’s just a shame that Jacksonville couldn’t beat division rival Tennessee at any point that season…
Stewart would leave Jacksonville in 2000 and spent his final three NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions. It would be in Detroit where Stewart would go over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, doing so twice before hanging up the spikes.
A shoulder injury sustained on a hit by Buffalo Bills defensive back Coy Wire forced Stewart into an early retirement. He remains in third place in Jaguars history at running back for yardage (2,951) and touchdowns (33).
His numbers will almost certainly be passed by current Jaguars starting running back Leonard Fournette, but we cannot forget what Stewart meant in the Jacksonville backfield when this franchise was in its infancy in the late 1990s.