Franchise Moments: 
Jacksonville Jaguars' Defining Moment of the Last Decade
As a franchise, the Jacksonville Jaguars haven't had many bright moments over the last decade at US betting apps. That shouldn't be surprising considering Jacksonville has had a record below .500 in six of the last 10 seasons, including five last-place finishes in the AFC South over that span.
The Jaguars have an all-time winning percentage of .429 in the regular season, so they shouldn't be considered a successful franchise even if they've won the AFC South in two of the last four seasons.
I mean -- if one of the most remembered moments of the franchise over the last 10 years is the head coach going viral over a controversial video in a bar amid a tenure that was marked by on-field problems and several off-field issues, you know things aren't going well.
But the Jaguars also had a few moments worth highlighting.
This time as part of RotoWire's NFL Franchise Defining Moments since 2016 campaign, we'll focus on the time when the Jaguars came agonizingly close to reaching the Super Bowl LII.
The moment? When Myles Jack's fumble recovery was called dead in the 2018 AFC Championship Game.
Theo GremmingerSee Theo's personal rankings, tiers, and draft targets.View RankingsRotoWire Analyst
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Jerry DonabedianSee Jerry's personal rankings, tiers, and draft targets.View RankingsRotoWire Analyst
Mario PuigSee Mario's personal rankings, tiers, and draft targets.View RankingsWhy Was Myles Jack's Fumble Recovery Called Dead?
The Jaguars had one of their best seasons in recent memory in the 2017 NFL regular season. They won the AFC South with a 10-6 record and defeated the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs to reach the AFC Championship against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The Jaguars were close to defeating New England as well, holding a 20-10 lead in the fourth quarter, but Myles Jack's play changed the momentum of the game completely.
The Patriots ran a trick play that ended with Jack stripping the ball from Dion Lewis around the 35-yard mark in Jacksonville's territory and recovering the ball. He was certain to return the ball for a touchdown, but the whistle quickly ruled the play dead.
The end result was that the Jaguars DID recover the ball, but the return didn't count. Had Jack reached the end zone, that would've probably sealed the win for the Jaguars. Instead, the Patriots stopped Blake Bortles in the following drive to recover possession and orchestrate the comeback.
The Aftermath After Jack's Fumble
The Jaguars melted down after that. The Patriots sealed the comeback with two touchdowns in the final minutes, as Tom Brady connected with Danny Amendola twice, and a key defensive stop by Stephon Gilmore. His acrobatic block of a Blake Bortles pass late in the fourth quarter sealed the game for New England.
But the main talking point of the game was the referees' decision to say Jack was down after the fumble.
Even Brady said he didn't believe Jack was down after the fumble. Making an appearance on The Pivot Podcast in 2024, Brady revealed he didn't think the play should've been called dead. "The knee? Oh no, I don't think he was down," Brady said. "Oh God, I don't think we were catching him either. I sure as hell wasn't gonna tackle him.
How Have the Jaguars Fared After Myles Jack's Dead Fumble?
The Jaguars haven't gotten close to a Super Bowl after that, recording five losing seasons in the eight following years since that loss to New England in 2018, reaching the playoffs twice and not returning to the AFC Championship. As for the Patriots, they lost that Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles.
That call wasn't the reason the Jaguars lost the game, as they were still unable to protect a two-score lead while in possession in the fourth quarter. But it's impossible not to think what would've happened had things resulted differently for Jack and the Jaguars in that game. Had the Jaguars reached the Super Bowl against the Eagles, Jacksonville would've had a chance since they allowed the second-fewest total yards in the 2027 regular season (286.1) while leading the NFL in rushing yards per game (141.4) and ranking second in sacks (55).
It's all speculative now. But one thing is certain. Given the Jaguars' lack of success over the last 10 years, this is undoubtedly their biggest moment in franchise history in the last decade.
More About The Campaign
The RotoWire expert panel voted to select the single most franchise-defining moment from the last 10 years for all 32 NFL teams. Voting has now closed. The results power a 33-article editorial series published across RotoWire ahead of the NFL season -- one dedicated article per franchise, plus one overarching piece covering the broader trends and standout moments across the league.
