Why Arik Armstead Believes in the Jaguars' Newness

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead knows what success looks like, perhaps more than any other player on the roster.

Armstead played in multiple Super Bowls as a core piece for the San Francisco 49ers, and he did so only after going through the growing pains of the 49ers' own rebuild and regime changes.

Now, Armstead is set to play a central role in the Jaguars' pursuit of success. One of the most experienced and productive players on a young roster, Armstead is going to be a big part of the Jaguars' hopes for an improved defense and season.

Speaking on Fox Sports' 'First Things First', Armstead explained why he is confident in the Jaguars' direction moving forward under new head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone, each of whom are in their first years ever in the roles.

"I think each year can be different, especially in the NFL. New teams emerge, you know, and football is such a tough sport that you can't, you know, rely on what you did in previous years. You can't even rely on what you did you know, throughout the season," Armstead said.

"Like each game is a new opportunity. Anybody can beat anybody, really, in the game of football. And so I'm excited about this season. I'm excited about our opportunity."

As Armstead would note, the sheer newness of the Jaguars' regime and what they are looking to change in Jacksonville is enough of a reason to be excited about the new day in the franchise.

"There's a lot of newness, new coach, new GM, new leadership, and with that, it brings a lot of excitement and a lot of opportunity," Armstead said.

"And the thing that I know is when you do something for the first time, you want to leave a lasting impression, and so I know our leadership is going above and beyond to make sure that everything is what it needs to be. Because I know they want to have, you know, leave an impact and make a mark in their first season, so excited to be a part of it and trying to build a winning culture and get to a level of dominance in Jacksonville."