After missing three games, Brian Thomas Jr. appears to be back for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He went down with an ankle sprain in the team’s clutch overtime win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9. He was listed as questionable for the last two weeks, but apparently, the staff didn’t feel comfortable fielding him out there and risking aggravation of his injury.
The Jaguars managed to go 2-1 without him, including a dominant 35-6 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. To be honest, Jacksonville didn’t miss him much, considering that his presence this season hasn’t been much of a buoy for the offense, and at times, has been downright detrimental to its attack. It’s safe to say that BTJ’s return hasn’t been met with the fanfare that normally accompanies the arrival of a rookie superstar.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) celebrates his touchdown score with quarterback Mac Jones (10) during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars held off the Titans 20-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Brian Thomas Jr. must capitalize vs. Titans
The Jaguars aren’t playing Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns in Week 13, but Brian Thomas Jr.’s return is met with “Perfect Timing.” Instead, he’ll get to match up with the 1-10 Tennessee Titans. This is a great opportunity for BTJ to come out hot and build some much-needed momentum for himself ahead of Jacksonville’s playoff push in the home stretch of the 2025 NFL season.
He’s no stranger to putting up numbers against the Titans. Last season, he went for a combined 15 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns versus Tennessee. He also rushed twice for 29 more yards. If he can have that kind of performance again in Nashville, it’ll go a long way towards saving a disappointing season for him this year.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) reacts to his first down pickup during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
All eyes on BTJ
Jacksonville hasn’t needed BTJ in its last two games. His presence as an elite deep-ball threat might have helped open things up against the Houston Texans, though, when the Jaguars collapsed in the fourth quarter with back-to-back 3-and-outs on offense that opened the door for Davis Mills to lead a roaring 19-point comeback. They will need the idealized version of him for their playoff push down the stretch, and of course, in any postseason games they might play.
The Jaguars have been able to keep their passing attack afloat thanks to the arrival of Jakobi Meyers and the emergence of Parker Washington. Between those two and the return of Brenton Strange, Trevor Lawrence has enough steady weapons downfield to keep the chains moving.
They’ve been so successful that there have been theories that this team might be better off without Thomas Jr. and his penchant for drops this season. Head Coach Liam Coen has already gone on record to say that BTJ should fit right alongside Meyers and Washington as a downfield threat. It’s on the second-year receiver to prove that he’ll only elevate this team in his return moving forward.
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