When the Jacksonville Jaguars take the field this regular season, the team is going to look significantly different than it did in 2021 and the years before. One of the biggest differences on the defensive side will be that the team will be without long-time linebacker Myles Jack.
The team released Jack the week of free agency, and it seems the reason for that may have been for salary cap reasons. The decision came a day after they agreed to terms with interior linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, who signed a three-year deal worth $46.5 million with $28 million guaranteed.
Jack had been with the Jags since 2016 and was one of the team’s longest- tenured players. Needless to say, his departure was bittersweet for some fans, but it allowed Jack to seek a change of scenery after enduring a lot of coaching changes and dysfunction in Jacksonville.
It didn’t take long for Jack to find a new home as he ended up signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 16. The move made a ton of sense as coach Mike Tomlin has expressed a great deal of respect for the Jags’ defense in the past as he’s battled them multiple times.
As for Jack, he was able to go from an organization that had been on shaky ground for much of his tenure there, to an organization most would say is a world-class one from the perspective of players. A big reason for that is the culture that’s been established by the organization, which is something Jack noticed immediately after spending six regular seasons in Jacksonville.
Myles Jack on becoming a Steeler, Cam Heyward, playing at Heinz Field and more. pic.twitter.com/YyI9enZgeG
— Steelers Live (@SteelersLive) June 4, 2022
“It’s the culture man and that’s what people always say, but coming from where I came from and coming here, you see why this team is successful,” Jack said when asked about what stood out to him about the Steelers. “The mission is clear, there’s no secrets. If there’s a problem, it gets addressed right then and there. And I feel like that’s the only way to win — if everybody is held accountable. So I have enjoyed it, it’s been great.”
[H/T to Trib Live for quotes.]
One could understand Jack’s statements, especially after what he witnessed last season under Urban Meyer. Despite several incidents that started almost immediately into his tenure, it wasn’t until December that the Jags decided to fire Meyer when the damage was already done.
When looking back at his career, there was a brief time when Jack was able to witness the Jags be successful, and that was in 2017 when they defeated Pittsburgh twice at Heinz Field. And while he says he’s been careful not to mention it around his new teammates, he did remember how impressive the crowds were in both matchups.
“That was a fun year, for sure,” Jack said. “But the main thing I remember (about Pittsburgh) is the crowd, because we didn’t get too many crowds like that in Jacksonville. So, just seeing the (Terrible) Towels going crazy… the energy and atmosphere, coming out pregame, hearing the crowd go crazy, the energy. Because typically in Jacksonville we didn’t get too many games that were really packed like that.”
In defense of the Jags’ fanbase, they weren’t given a lot to pack the stands for aside from in 2017. Hopefully, that and the culture will change in Duval soon, which will create a culture that players and fans will enjoy.
Heading forward, things could be positive for both the Jags and Jack. The team got a new head coach in Doug Pederson, who has won a Super Bowl and could get the best out of Trevor Lawrence.
As for Jack, he may have seen the last losing season of his career as Tomlin has never had a season below .500. And while Jags fans have a big-time rivalry with the Steelers, it would be understandable to see some of them root for the individual success of No. 51 in black and gold.
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