Lawrence on Sidelines: Emphasizing Health Over Fun for Jaguars’ Success

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence approached the podium with his left arm secured in a large, black sling, discussing — among various other topics — the significance of maintaining good health.

This remains his top focus for 2025, irrespective of who owner Shad Khan selects as the Jaguars’ new head coach.

“As the franchise quarterback, it’s crucial for me to be on the field, and I must be present,” Lawrence stated on Thursday. “It’s challenging for me not to be able to accomplish that. In fact, over the last two seasons, that’s been a considerable challenge for me.

“… The primary focus is I need to remain healthy, and whether that involves getting stronger this offseason or minimizing the hits I take while on the field … Just doing my share to stay on the field and avoiding unnecessary risks, particularly when I need to be fit for the season, even for a single play.”

Lawrence has missed eight games in the last two seasons and has faced six distinct injuries — including two concussions within an 11-month timeframe. He was sidelined for two games due to a sprained AC joint in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, sustained a concussion from a contentious hit during his first game back, and ultimately decided with the team to shut him down for the remainder of the season to permit surgery on his shoulder.

In 2023, Lawrence encountered injuries to his ankle, knee, and right shoulder along with another concussion, yet missed only one game. Nevertheless, he was unable to practice fully during the last three weeks of the season. He sustained a toe injury in 2022 without missing any games.

This marked the first instance Lawrence has publicly addressed the media since suffering a concussion against Houston on December 1, caused by a hit to the head from linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. This was the second concussion of his career — the first occurring against Baltimore on December 17, 2023 — but Lawrence expressed that he does not worry about experiencing two concussions within a single year.

“I’m not sure if ‘worried’ is the correct term moving forward,” stated Lawrence, who remarked that Al-Shaair has yet to reach out to him following the incident. “While that’s something you certainly keep in mind, I don’t wish to accumulate more. The goal is to minimize them; however, I’m currently not overly anxious about it. My priority is to safeguard myself and clearly avoid perpetuating that pattern. That can significantly influence the duration of your playing career if you continue to sustain them.”

Despite enduring numerous injuries over the past two seasons, Lawrence mentioned he is not concerned about being considered injury-prone.

“It doesn’t trouble me,” he said. “My aim is to remain healthy. What troubles me is not being able to participate. Therefore, I have no real concerns about labels or tags. I just want to be on the field. I am aware of the positive impact I can have on the game and our chances of winning when I’m playing, and conversely, it’s tough when I’m not.

“Sitting on the sidelines and lacking the ability to contribute is not enjoyable. Hence, I strive for good health and want to be available, but I’m not particularly anxious about external opinions.”