Pro Bowl experience good, but Jaguars want more

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s an honor to be there, but they’d prefer to be somewhere else.

Like down the interstate in Miami.

But the Jaguars’ three Pro Bowl selections all said that reaching the annual NFL all-star game is proof that only wins will change how they’re viewed.

Defensive end Calais Campbell, making his third straight trip to the game, said taking part in the Pro Bowl and the festivities surrounding it is enjoyable. It’s a low-stress week in the Disney area that families can enjoy.

But with so few teammates there — rookie Josh Allen and DJ Chark made it as alternates — Campbell said it means that the Jaguars have to do better all-around.

“Usually wins equate to people in the Pro Bowl, you see the Ravens got 13 people here, that’s a pretty sweet thing to see,” Campbell said. “So hopefully we can win little more games. I mean honestly, I don’t want to actually be here … I want to be playing next week [in the Super Bowl].”

Allen had a stellar first season, leading the team with 10.5 sacks and became the first Jaguars rookie to make the Pro Bowl.

“I wish our whole team would have made it, you know. But that’s not the way it goes,” Allen said. “Hopefully a couple years from now, we’ll have a lot of guys from the Jacksonville Jaguars with me and make this thing a Jaguars festival.”

Chark, who had a breakout second season in the league with 1,008 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, echoed Campbell’s thoughts. A 6-10 team can only go up from here.

“Only way to do that is to win games and I think that’s what the goal is,” Chark said. “Now that I’ve had this experience, I’m no old head at all, but I have a little experience in the locker room now, so I can help guys push it a little more.”


About the Authors:

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

Jamal St. Cyr is an award-winning sports anchor who joined the News4Jax sports team in 2019.