The Jacksonville Jaguars could use help at running back after Bhayshul Tuten underwent surgery injury. Sure, Travis Etienne and LeQuint Allen are in the mix, and the two could take on an increased workload.
Having said that, the Jags still need a No. 3 to round out their backfield. That led to a local voice to wonder if a former Pro Bowl running back could come out of retirement just like Philip Rivers did for the Indianapolis Colts not that long ago.
Maurice Jones-Drew pitched to unretire to join the Jaguars
Following the news that Bhayshul Tuten was getting surgery done, Brent Martineau of Action News Jax wondered if Maurice Jones-Drew could come out of retirement to play a few snaps for the Jags. The former Pro Bowl running back caught wind of the post and responded with a resounding no.
Ummm No lmao https://t.co/uAwBD6AYta
— Maurice Jones-Drew (@MJD) December 15, 2025
In case you needed context, Indy turned heads across the NFL when they signed Philip Rivers out of retirement to start behind center when Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending leg injury.
While Rivers is 44, the Colts didn't have better options at quarterback, and with the playoffs on the line, they were hoping he could help them cross the finish line. However, things didn't go the way Indy expected.
Although Rivers played surprisingly well despite the fact that he only had a few days to prepare, the Colts still fell to the Seattle Seahawks. They're still in the thick of the playoff race but now have fallen behind the Jags.
Related: 10 best running backs in franchise history
Why bringing back Maurice-Jones Drew wouldn't have made sense for the Jaguars
Keep in mind that Brent Martineau was joking when he suggested Maurice Jones-Drew unretired. The reason Philip Rivers returned was that quarterbacks have an extended shelf life nowadays, and several signal-callers have played well into their 40s (e.g., Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees). Meanwhile, MoJo last played a football game back in 2014.
Even if Jones-Drew had wanted to return, he wouldn't have been able to help the Jaguars. Sure, he was their best player in the late 2000s and early 2010s and a prominent figure in franchise lore. However, that was more than 10 years ago. Moreover, Jacksonville should be just fine with Travis Etienne and LeQuint Allen during Bhayshul Tuten's brief absence.
In fact, don't expect the Jags to make any additions to the roster in the upcoming days. They'll probably elevate undrafted running back Ja'Quinden Jackson from the practice squad on game day. Jacksonville has three games left in the schedule and can promote him as many times.
Ultimately, plenty of fans would love the idea of seeing Maurice Jones-Drew come out of retirement. But in practice, it wouldn't have made sense. Not surprisingly, he scoffed at it.