Travis Etienne Isn't Crushed that He Missed Out on Jaguars' Drama in 2021

Travis Etienne, who set numerous ACC and Clemson Tigers records, sat out last year with a Lisfranc injury but is almost fully back and ready to play for Doug Pederson in 2022.

Travis Etienne has had to find the positives through a difficult situation. 

The former Clemson running back and first-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars had his 2021 rookie season ended before it even began after he suffered a Lisfranc injury.

Sidelined all year, Etienne had to "fall in love with the mundane" of rehabilitation, but if there was a blessing in disguise, he didn't have to deal with the tumultuous season that surrounded the organization last fall. 

"If there was any year to miss, I missed a great one," Etienne said during a press conference with NFL media on Tuesday. 

The Jaguars, who drafted Clemson teammate Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall last spring, won just three games in 2021 and watched the season fall apart around former head coach Urban Meyer, who was fired last December. 

From off-the-field issues and reportedly a questionable style of running the team, Meyer failed in his only season at the NFL level. Etienne acknowledged he missed out on all that drama but understands there is a "human element" to the pros. 

He's excited about new head coach Doug Pederson, who brings a winning pedigree and a Super Bowl ring on his hand to Jacksonville in 2022. The Jaguars are +700 to win the AFC South this year, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

"It's easy to get behind a guy who's been there, who has the blueprint," Etienne said about Pederson. "There's a trust in him."

Etienne, however, doesn't know yet how he fits into Pederson's system. He'll learn that during the next couple of months, but the versatile running back feels like he's in a much better position healthwise to aid the team. 

Etienne, the ACC's all-time leading rusher who also set numerous Clemson records, said he's "85 to 90 percent" back following a lengthy rehab.  

"I'm not doing everything but I'm doing the majority of the stuff," Etienne said. "Two or three weeks ago I felt like I could get back to myself, just being out there running full speed, just running. It felt awesome to be running."

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