Jaguars Know One Division Nemesis As Their Ultimate Rival

In the 249 years of the United States, American citizens have known hundreds of rivalries. For every Alexander Hamilton vs. Aaron Burr, Coke vs. Pepsi, and Apple vs. Microsoft there's Marvel vs. DC, and cats vs. dogs. One could go on and on and on, for sure.

Sports are the same. Yankees vs. Red Sox, Frazier vs Ali, and Michigan vs The Ohio State. But in the city of Jacksonville, nestled in Duval County and found in the great state of Florida, there's a certain rival that sits two states and 595 miles apart; however, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans are much farther apart in philosophy and spirit.

In fact, the two franchises abhor each other in such a manner that you could see "The Office" coworkers, Michael Scott and Toby Flenderson, renting an Airbnb and spending a joyful week at Dollywood together before these two organizations and their fanbases would.

This story of strife began back in 1995, when the expansion Jags joined the Houston Oilers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Cleveland Browns in the old AFC Central. Jacksonville started ruffling feathers right away with the 4-12 newcomers beating every division mate except Cincy for those initial victories.

Because of a move, the Oilers became the Tennessee Oilers from 1997 to '98, and then, starting in the brand switch to the Titans began in 1999.

Something more unheard of occurred during that time as the Head Coach Tom Coughlin's team won two division titles and earned trips to the AFC Championship Game in their second season in 1996 at New England and then at home in 1999. That loss in Duval was to a newly minted rival, the Tennessee Titans.

In a recent edition of the Jacksonville Jaguars Insider Podcast, Jaguars on SI Beat Writer Joh Shipley talked about the gravity of this mutual football vendetta.

"The Titans are the team that I'd say is probably, when you look at the DNA of the Jaguars, the biggest rival in franchise history. They are just two teams that {former Jaguars lineman] Leon Searcy put it best as 'two teams that hate each other'. The players get brought into the franchise. They get taught the history of the hate between the two teams."

"There is no love lost at all between Tennessee and Jacksonville. No love lost between their fan bases, as optimistic as each, particularly the one in Nashville, is every off-season, despite all the signs that tell them not to be," proclaimed Shipley.

Now, with the two teams attempting to change their collective fortunes with exciting new players, QB Cam Ward and WR/CB Travis Hunter, taken back-to-back in 2025, the hate could grow even stronger as the battle of bottom feeders intensifies on their way from the outhouse to the penthouse.

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