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30 years ago today: Jacksonville Jaguars come to life, becoming NFL’s 30th franchise

logan macdonald
·2 min read

Nov. 30, 1993: It’s been 30 years since Jacksonville found out that an NFL franchise would be coming to town.

“I’m sure we all feel a little bit older than we did the first day they showed up in town,” lifelong Jaguars fan Matt Brockelman said.

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Brockelman remembers the team in its early days, cheering on the “Cardiac Cats” as the team found its footing in the NFL.

“The Jags first came to town when I was a little kid. I still remember having one of the inaugural season towels and hand towels they were selling back then that season,” Brockelman said.

30 years ago today, Jacksonville was awarded the NFL’s 30th franchise! #DUUUVAL

Posted by Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, November 30, 2023

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Now, 30 years and 197 regular season wins later, the Jaguars have become ingrained into the DNA of Jacksonville as the city’s major professional sports team and major source of philanthropy across the River City.

The team has positioned itself at the forefront of many fundraising efforts, whether for the community’s military veterans, for parks and recreation across Jacksonville, and through fundraising efforts alongside organizations like VyStar Credit Union, which Brockelman happens to work for.

“VyStar and a number of other companies are at the epicenter of a lot of things whether it’s MOSH, the zoo, or a lot of other local nonprofit projects, and the Jaguars are a huge partner in a lot of those endeavors. So we love having them here,” Brockelman said.

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Though the Jags have provided 30 years of football and philanthropy, the team has yet to make it to the Big Game and clinch a Super Bowl victory.

It’s something Brockelman said fans are hoping for as always, with the team rolling 8-3 into a Monday Night Football matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

“I’d love to see it. Jags for winning the Super Bowl,” Brockelman said.

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