Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk is having a career year in his first season with the team.
Kirk, who turns 26 on Friday, has already caught seven touchdown passes with the Jaguars, one more than his best single-season total in four years with the Arizona Cardinals. Through 10 games, Kirk is on pace to finish the season with 88 receptions and 1,154 yards.
But he says eclipsing 100 receiving yards and hauling in two touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t make the 27-17 loss feel any better.
“I was sick to my stomach. It hurts just as bad,” Kirk told reporters Tuesday. “Just because me, personally, I do that so we can win the game. I feel like if I’m playing at my best and I’m trying to make every opportunity, make the best out of it, then it’s going to help put us in a position to win a football game, and I really believe that me along with a lot of other guys on this team have that kind of impact. If you play your best, there’s a higher chance of us being able to win the game.
“You know it hurts you when you put all that into it, then you’re not able to come out on the other side because at the end of the day, I’m sick and tired of losing, and I know everyone in this locker room, everyone in this building wants to win a lot, so that’s how we work.”
The four-year, $72 million contract dished out to Kirk in March was one of the more surprising moves made by any team in the offseason. Even Kirk admitted that he couldn’t believe the price the Jaguars were willing to pay.
But it’s tough to argue with the results with Kirk on pace for a double-digit touchdown total and nearly 1,200 receiving yards. What that hasn’t translated into yet is wins.