Even though some analysts are starting to change their tune about the Jacksonville Jaguars, many of their critics are still skeptical about their odds of making the playoffs and winning the AFC South for the second year in a row. That said, since Liam Coen became the head coach in 2025, the Jags have made it clear that they're not paying too much attention to the outside noise (unless it gives them bulletin board material).
Coen's philosophy has trickled down to players, and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers just confirmed it with his latest remarks.
Jakobi Meyers doesn't care what critics say about the Jaguars
Jakobi Meyers met with reporters ahead of the Week 1 matchup against the Browns. He was asked what he thinks about outside noise and the overall skepticism surrounding the Jaguars. He had a brief but concise response.
"I really don't care for real," Meyers told reporters (2:21 mark). "That's up to them. For real, I can't control that."
Meyers is right not to pay attention to talking heads and critics of his team. If they choose to overlook Jacksonville, they're doing it at their own risk. On the other hand, Meyers says he would like to get off to a strong start to the 2026 season.
"I mean, we would like to get off to a fast start for sure, man. We feel like we got a good team, and we really just want to show people how good we are at the end of the day. So we've been training hard for it, practicing hard for it, and I think we're gonna go out there and do that," Meyers also said during the exchange with the local media.
Meyers just spent his first offseason with the Jags after landing in Duval via trade at the 2025 deadline. He was voted a team captain by his peers, proving just how much of an impact he's had since his arrival.
On a related note, Meyers suffered a hand injury in the preseason and was limited in the first two practices ahead of the season opener. However, he said he would play. On top of that, he got no designation for the Week 1 game, so he'll be a full go.
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The Jaguars have been wildly disrespected for years, they'll change that in 2026
One big reason the Jaguars haven't garnered mainstream recognition in a while is their ability to win games year in and year out. The last time they made the playoffs (2017 and 2022), they failed to qualify the following year. If the Jags want to be discussed in the same breath as the Kansas City Chiefs, or whatever contender out there, they need to start winning on a consistent basis. Fortunately, they're starting to do just that under Liam Coen.
In Coen's first season, Jacksonville went 13-4 and won the AFC South. The next step is building consistency. That means taking the next step and making the playoffs again for the second year in a row. Ideally, though, the Jags won't be one-and-done in the postseason and will instead go into a deep run.
Jakobi Meyers is right not to care about what others say and let his actions do the talking. The same goes for the Jaguars. Win games, and the spotlight will come, and it all starts against the Browns in Week 1.
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