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Nov 3, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars helmets on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Jaguars Star Embraces Being Fearless

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars are starting to feel the effects of an intensive training camp in the Florida summer heat. The injuries have started to mount up on both sides of the ball. Head Coach Liam Coen addressed the risk of putting his players on the field in preseason Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints, but ultimately, he decided that his starters could use the extra reps.

Injuries are a natural part of football. It's a violent and aggressive sport that is one of the most demanding on its players' bodies. There's only so much prevention that can be done through rest, preparation, and training to guard against athletes running at each other at full speed in hopes of putting each other in the dirt.

However, the NFL has done its part to try to mitigate the risks as much as it can. Players around the league can be seen donning the new "guardian caps," soft covers worn over traditional helmets to minimize the impact of hits on the head. There have also been institutional changes to try to keep players healthier, with changes to kickoff rules and hip-drop tackles getting banned highlighted in recent memory.

Brian Thomas Jr. speaks on his injury scare in NFL preseason Week 1

In preseason Week 1, the Jacksonville Jaguars took on the Pittsburgh Steelers. The starting offense played just one series, but it was more than enough to put one of their stars in danger.

Early in the game, Brian Thomas Jr. cut toward the middle of the field after identifying a hole in the Steelers' zone. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence found him on what would have been a nice 15-yard gain, but Pittsburgh safety Juan Thornhill closed the gap too quickly. With BTJ still reaching out to bring in the ball, Thornhill disrupted the catch with a solid hit that rocked EverBank Stadium.

It was a clean play, at least by the referees' ruling on that night. Ideally, Lawrence wouldn't have thrown that pass and put his receiver in a dangerous position, but plays like that happen a handful of times in every NFL game.

Thomas Jr. recognizes that. Speaking on The Pivot Podcast, he was asked if he ever fears getting hurt:

"It’s always in your head a little bit. But, I mean, I try to go out there and play. You got to go out there and play without having fear, because I feel like when you’re playing with a lot of fear in your head, that’s when stuff happens, because you’re always worried or timid about it. So, I feel like you got to go out there and play with no fear. But I mean, I just go out there, do my thing, do what I’m supposed to do. And hey, if it happens, it happens."

Avoiding plays that could land a receiver on IR is one of those things that a quarterback has to learn over time. Trevor Lawrence is still mastering that aspect of becoming an elite NFL passer. The Jaguars can't afford to have Brian Thomas Jr. miss any time this season, so they'll have to ensure that the team learns from that scare against the Steelers.

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This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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