It’s only the preseason, so there aren’t many things fans can, or should, take away from these performances, other than a few players who stand out above the rest. There is something to be said, though, about an organization that has a history of being below .500 and showing the mettle necessary to pull off a 14-point comeback in a game that genuinely does not matter.
Head coach Liam Coen and offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, who was de facto head coach for the game, asked the Jacksonville Jaguars players to do one thing in the second half of their preseason game against the New Orleans Saints, and they talked about it on the local broadcast with the broadcast team: “Respond." Even though it may look like nothing now, the Jaguars’ response to adversity does show signs of a winning culture brewing in Jacksonville.
Familiar Territory, Unfortunately
Between 2008 and 2024, the year before Liam Coen and company were hired, no other franchise has gone into halftime down 14 or more points than the Jacksonville Jaguars. According to Pro-Football-Reference, the Jaguars have been down 14 or more points 28 times, with the Houston Texans 2nd at 25.
Of those 27 games, they have only one win: A 2014 21-point comeback over the 3-9 New York Giants, led by Tom Coughlin, that boosted the Jaguars to a measly 2-10 record that season. It’s still the largest comeback in Jaguars history.
What Was and What Lies Ahead for Jacksonville
There have been some rough times in Jacksonville over the years. 14 losing seasons over the past 18 years, including a forgettable 1-15 season in 2020. Seven head coaches, including the disastrous 2021 season under Urban Meyer; if anyone needed a jolt in the right direction, it was this franchise.
Then, Coen arrives and brings in future head-coaching candidates Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. Jacksonville finishes top ten in both points scored and points allowed, including allowing the fewest rushing yards in the league. Now, Jacksonville starts out the 2026 season with this sort of comeback win.
In his post-game press conference, Coen praised the resilience he saw from the rookies, like Trebor Pena, who dropped a would-be touchdown from Carter Bradley that Bradley fit perfectly in a very tight window. Later in the game, Pena ran a beautiful out-and-up for 43 yards and Joey Aguilar’s only completion, setting up the Jaguars for a chance to win it.
Can’t stress this enough: it’s only preseason, but the fact that it started this way could be a sign of things to come for the Jaguars.
