Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence: 'I Think That Experience Is Probably the Best Teacher'

Speaking to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Trevor Lawrence looked back on how the ups and downs of his first three seasons have helped him grow.

Dec 24, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) throws the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports / Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

One of the most important offseasons in Jacksonville Jaguars history had its busiest month in June.

On Tuesday, the City of Jacksonville approved the Jaguars' proposed 'Stadium of the Future' with a 14-1 vote. And earlier in the month, the Jaguars handed out the largest contract in franchise history to quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

With Lawrence and his deal comes the hope for fulfilled potential. Lawrence, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has a losing record as a starting quarterback after a 3-14 rookie season. Since he entered the NFL with the generational label, Lawrence has proved to be a good quarterback without great production.

And to Lawrence's own point, some of the down moments of his career -- such as his rookie year -- are what brought him to today. In an interview with Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Lawrence noted that his past has built to what he and the Jaguars are currently ready to accomplish.

“I think that experience is probably the best teacher,” Lawrence told me. “Everyone says the big thing is the ‘whys’ learned from other people’s mistakes. I do think that’s true. But I also think there are some things you just kind of have to go through. And you learn a lot when you experience them. I’ve been through all the mixes. A terrible season. A season that started really bad and we finished really great, which was 2022. And last year was the opposite, started great and finished really bad.

“So I’ve experienced all those elements of it, and I understand how this game works. The NFL is just different. It’s a long season; it really is about who’s playing best in December, January, February; not September, October, November. You have to be playing your best at the right time, the end of the year. I think I have a better perspective of all of that. I’d say that’s the biggest thing.”

- Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

Moving forward, Lawrence and the Jaguars are going to look to erase the memories of the 2023 season. But despite the weak end to the year and a myriad of injuries, Lawrence and the Jaguars started contract talks relatively early in the 2023 offseason.

“Obviously, you’d prefer to finish really strong that year and put yourself in a better position, not necessarily leverage-wise, but just feeling good about the future, feeling really sure about it,” Lawrence says. “I think that left a little bit of a sour taste in all our mouths, the way we finished. But I mean, no, because I believe in the player I am. And now it feels good, and I knew they did already, that the organization believed in me.

“To put it out there, put it on paper, that I have the full faith and belief of the organization, for them to pay me like a top quarterback in the league, and to sign a long-term deal here, and put that faith and trust in me, feels really good. And to be backed by Mr. [Shad] Khan and Trent [Baalke] and Doug and all the people that are involved in making that decision, that feels as good as anything. Obviously, the money is awesome, too, but it’s the respect, and feeling that I’m really backed by the team.”

- Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

Lawrence said after his pay-day that he believes this is the best roster the Jaguars have had in his career. Now, it is time for him and the roster to meet the raised expectations that come with record-breaking contracts.

“As a kid, I just dreamed of being a college quarterback,” he says. “Growing up in the South, college football is a bigger deal than the NFL. That was my dream as a kid, so I didn’t even get this far as a kid. I’m grateful, obviously. Along the way, you realize it, as your dreams are coming true, and you keep going forward into the future, and think about how far you can take this. But I don’t know, I try to keep myself in the moment as much as possible. That’s something I’m grateful that I’ve been able to do in my career, not get too far ahead of myself.

“To be honest, I believed I could do this, and here, for the last few years. But I wouldn’t say this is something I’ve necessarily thought about more than that. Ever since I got here to Jacksonville, I knew I wanted to take this team farther than it’s gone before, and I wanted to make this a great organization. I wanted to be a key piece of that.”

The Jaguars agreed to terms with the quarterback and former No. 1 pick earlier this month, agreeing to a five-year deal worth $275 million with $200 million in guarantees and $142 million fully guaranteed.

Lawrence's deal will pay him an average of $55 million a season, which ties him with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow as the highest-paid player on an annual basis in the NFL.

Since being drafted No. 1 in 2021, Lawrence has started 50 regular season games. Lawrence ranks fourth in franchise history in passing yards with 11,770 and is fourth in touchdown passes with 58.

Since being drafted, Lawrence has been voted as a team captain by his teammates each year of his NFL career and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2022 after recording 387 completions for 4,113 passing yards and 25 touchdowns with a passer rating of 95.2.

During the 2023 season, he completed 370 passes becoming the only quarterback in franchise history to start his career with three seasons of at least 300 completions and the second quarterback in team history to record at least 300 completions in three consecutive seasons. He has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week three times in his career, twice in 2022 (Week 3 and 12) and once in 2023 (Week 11).

In his career, Lawrence has also posted 205 rushing attempts for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns.

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