It may be hard for younger fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars to accept, but the NFL was a thing in North Florida prior to 1995. Yes, believe it or not, even though the Jags did not yet exist, many football fans in Duval reserved Sundays in the fall for watching football.
There was no singular majority of fans in Jacksonville prior to the Jaguars. There were plenty of Steelers, Bears, Cowboys, and Redskins fans in those days. Oddly, Bucs and Falcons fans were rarely seen in the area, perhaps because they were perpetually terrible.
But, among the collection of minorities that constituted fans of various teams, perhaps the largest minority was the group of fans that swore their allegiance to the Miami Dolphins. As the nearest AFC team to the area, the Dolphins were a weekly feature on NBC, the network that held the rights to AFC broadcasts back in the day. It was rare that a Dolphins game wasn't available in the Jacksonville market, and as such, many a fan was indoctrinated by the aqua marine.
Throughout the 80s and early 90s, the Dolphins were still considered a premium organization... a "national brand" not unlike the Cowboys, due largely to their legendary undefeated season in 1972. Additionally, the 'Fins had just made a Super Bowl appearance in 1983's Super Bowl XVII. So, when an electrifying rookie lit up the league the following year, the world took note of the aerial assault put on by the quarterback from Pittsburgh, Dan Marino.
"Dan is the best pure passer I have ever seen."Peyton Manning, and lots of others
Although Marino lost the Super Bowl to the 49ers in his sophomore campaign, it was widely believed the South Florida gunslinger would have numerous opportunities to capture a championship in what was sure to be a great career.
And a great career it was. Marino shattered numerous records during his lengthy stay in Miami, but much to the surprise of most, he entered the 1999 NFL season with zero additional Super Bowl appearances. With injuries mounting and skills eroding, it felt to all that this could be the end of Marino's career - his last chance to hoist a Lombardi trophy.
In Duval County, the Jacksonville Jaguars had their own story happening. 1999 saw the Jags field the most successful and most dominant team in franchise history to date. They were explosive offensively and stingy on defense. They even had good kickers. They were loaded with talented players such as Mark Brunell, Tony Boselli, Fred Taylor, Tony Brackens, Aaron Beasley, Kevin Hardy, Jimmy Smith, and Keenan McCardell - players so entrenched in today's Jaguar lore, only single names are required.
But the Jaguars were also only in their fifth season. In addition to spoiling some fans with inordinate early success, there were a number of fans in the area who were still holding on to their first love. One could often hear things like, "Well, yes, the Jags are my favorite team, but the Bears are my other favorite team," and when pressed, that fan might admit that they still sided with Chicago in head-to-head matchups with the teal and black.
The North Florida market enjoyed NFL football for decades prior to the Jaguars' arrival, and it was a difficult task for many to convert fully to the expansion team. Passions ran deep, and it was no different for a significant number of Dolphins fans in the area.
So, when a gimpy Dolphins team ran onto the field on January 15, 2000 to challenge the Jags in a divisional playoff game, many a fan in Duval felt a bit conflicted. Even the fans who had made their full conversion to the Jags felt a pang of sympathy for the heroic figure of their past, knowing that the Dolphins with Dan Marino were on their last chance, and it wasn't looking good.
The Dolphins had backed into the playoffs, and the Jags were a juggernaut. Most were expecting a convincing win, and whoa nelly did they get one. Here is a simultaneously hilarious and invigorating video dedicated to the game for you to enjoy:
Although Marino flirted with the idea of coming back the following year with the Vikings, he would ultimately, wisely, retire. Thus, Marino's last game in the NFL would be an embarrassing bloodbath administered by the Jags, and for many fans in the area who still reserved a place in their heart for Marino, it was a turning point.
There was an odd symmetry for those select fans; a sort of poetry to the idea that their once-revered hero had been slain by the upstart Jags. They could finally make space in their souls for their new team, the Jaguars, who had rightfully claimed the throne from their previous king.
It's been 25 years since that game; 25 years of mostly suffering for a franchise that showed so much potential back then. It's time for the Jaguars to make some new memories that match the intensity of the day they retired Dan Marino.