Fans in Jacksonville and Charlotte had something to cheer about when the NFL decided to expand its roster of teams for the 1995 season. Of course, there were no expectations on either the Jaguars or the Panthers when that first season got underway, since expansion franchises are not something that get built overnight. Indeed, the quest for talent, sound coaching, and fan support are things that often take years for any new team to achieve. A quarterback choice made by the Jaguars prior to the first season turned out to shorten their time frame for initial success considerably.

The trade for Brunell

When the Expansion Draft of 1995 was held, Jacksonville decided to use a first round pick o select quarterback Steve Beurlein. They also set in motion a trade with the Green Bay Packers in which the Jaguars gave up several key draft selections in exchange for the services of quarterback Mark Brunell. For Brunell, it was the best possible situation. While backing up the great Brett Favre at Green Bay, Brunell saw little time on the field – and it certainly didn’t appear that the durable Favre was going to make way for Brunell anytime soon. Arriving in Jacksonville, Brunell was given the starting role fairly early on in that first season after Beurlein had difficulty rallying the team.

A slow start

One thing the Jaguars did manage to accomplish in their first season was to expand the record set by the Bengals in 1968 for most wins by an expansion team. Jacksonville won four games in 1995, one more than the Bengals (the Panthers managed to surpass both by winning seven games). In addition, it was already clear that Brunell’s experience would prove invaluable to the young Jaguars team, even as his efficiency as a quarterback would benefit them. He had two thousand yards of passing in the 1995 campaign, as well as several hundred rushing yards.

Getting in the groove

Beginning in 1996, the Jaguars began four years of playoff appearances. During that run, they went to the AFC Championship in 1996, won divisional titles in ’98 and ’99, and then returned to the AFC title game at the end of that 1999 season. The Jaguars’ high point was during this four year period, and the results posted by Brunell and the Jacksonville squad were and are an expansion team mark that will stand for some time to come. In a stretch that was bookended by appearances in the AFC title game – one game away from the Super Bowl – the Jaguars had made a statement to others in the NFL that they wanted success now and were not going to “Wait their turn” for a championship.

Important leadership when needed most

The Brunell years will be remembered for the leadership he provided to the team when it was most necessary. Brunell was honored with three invitations to the Pro Bowl, just one more indication of the importance he had in establishing the team’s early success. When he was eventually traded before the start of the 2004 season, the team was never quite the same. And despite a couple seasons of moderate success, the Jaguars in the post-Brunell era are now just another middle of the road NFL franchise.

Author Bio: Ivan Jamison is a big sports fan. You can check out his Jacksonville Jaguars Watch or his Chicago Cubs Watch or his Detroit Tigers Watch

Category: Sports
Keywords: Jacksonville Jaguars