Former Texas A&M receiver Christian Kirk can add another accolade to his NFL career following his first season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
What's the award? How about 1,000 yards in the regular season?
Thanks to a 31-3 win over the Houston Texans in Week 17, Kirk joined Mike Evans as one of two former Texas A&M players to hit the 1,000-yard marker for the 2022 season. He recorded two catches for 21 yards and averaged 10.5 yards per reception.
For the season, Kirk has now posted career-highs in catches (78) receiving yards (1,009), touchdowns (7), and first-down conversions (50), and currently is on pace to surpass his single-season total in yards per catch of 13.7.
“I know sometimes people can downplay it a little bit, especially with a 17th game and whatnot but, for me, it’s a huge deal,” Kirk said, via the Florida Times-Union earlier this week. “It’s a huge deal for any wide receiver. You don’t just wake up and have 1,000 yards. It’s hard in this league to make plays; for me, that’s always been a milestone I’ve always wanted to complete, so it’s definitely a huge deal.”
Drafted in 2018 by the Arizona Cardinals, Kirk served as a complementary receiver for four seasons opposite Larry Fitzgerald and DeAndre Hopkins. His best year in the desert came in 2021 when he totaled 77 catches for 982 yards and five touchdowns en route to an NFC postseason berth.
Kirk made headlines this offseason when he agreed to terms on a four-year, $72 million contract with Jacksonville, a franchise looking to upgrade its arsenal for second-year quarterback Trevor Lawerence. Initially viewed as a lofty contract that likely would come with buyer's remorse has actually panned out to a bargain deal following a consistent first season in the slot.
Since his arrival, Kirk has been the Jaguars' top weapon and a security blanket for Lawerence during the team's four-game win streak. Lawerence and Kirk bonded this the offseason, working away from the complex to build chemistry on and off the field. That was evident in Jacksonville's season-opening win over the Washington Commanders when the two connected for six catches and 117 yards.
Since Week 9, Jacksonville has won six of his last eight games and currently ranks sixth in passing offense (367.7 yards per game.) During that span, Kirk has registered 43 catches for 511 yards and three touchdowns.
A native of Scottsdale, Ariz, Kirk spent three seasons in College Station as the Aggies' top receiver. He totaled 234 catches for 2,856 yards and scored 26 touchdowns.
Kirk is now the sixth receiver in franchise history to total 1,000 yards in a single season, joining Jimmy Smith, Kennan McCardell, Allen Hurns, Allen Robinson and DJ Chark. The Jaguars will look to claim the AFC South title in a must-win game against the Tennessee Titans at home on Jan. 7.
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