The football journeys of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne are joined at the hip. Between sharing the field together for three seasons at Clemson and coming into the NFL in the same year with the same team, these two were borderline inseparable.
The duo put together their finest season as pros in 2026. Lawrence accounted for 39 touchdowns, while Etienne tallied just under 1,400 yards from scrimmage. On top of that, the Jaguars won 13 games along with an AFC South title. Unfortunately, all good things must eventually come to an end.
Etienne agreed to a four-year, $52 million contract to join the New Orleans Saints. A Louisiana native, Etienne jumped at the opportunity to go back home and chase an NFC South division title as the bell cow back in Kellen Moore's offense. Lawrence will have to move on without his college buddy.
Lawrence posted his goodbye on social media, which included a picture of both of them and their newborn children. "We’ve come a long way," Lawrence said of his longtime teammate. "Going to miss you man, been a hell of an 8 year run. Best is yet to come."
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence posts social media goodbye to Travis Etienne
Not only did Etienne get back to his pre-2024 form under Liam Coen, but he also managed to set a new personal-best mark with 13 touchdowns. Etienne came into this campaign with one receiving touchdown, and he caught six such scores in the 2025 season as he evolved as a player.
The Saints, who appear both ready to move on from veteran Alvin Kamara and unsure that top prospect Jeremiyah Love will be available when they pick at No. 8 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, gave Etienne the type of money that implies they will hand him 20 touches every single game.
The Jaguars, meanwhile, will need to piece together a running back room. While a pair of 2025 rookies in fourth-rounder Bhayshul Tuten and seventh-rounder LeQuint Allen both look like quality professional players, James Gladstone may need to opt for a more high-octane signing if Tuten specifically is not viewed as an RB1 by this staff.
At both Clemson and Jacksonville, Lawrence and Etienne have helped mutually benefit each other's football legacies. For the first time since Sacksonville was alive and well in Duval County, these two will have to follow Fleetwood Mac's advice of "Go Your Own Way."