Former Jaguars tight end Evan Engram has stirred fresh conversation with a telling observation from his early days at Broncos training camp. Speaking with reporters in Denver, Engram noted, “it’s hard to be the first one in the building.”
That comment, simple as it sounds, struck a chord, especially when contrasted with his time in Jacksonville. “I was always the first one. It was really easy.”
During his three-year time with the Jaguars, Engram became a central figure in both the offense and the locker room. He hauled in 234 receptions for 2,094 yards and nine touchdowns from 2022 to 2024, including a standout 2022 campaign (73 catches, 766 yards) that helped fuel the team’s playoff run. He earned praise from head coach Doug Pederson for his leadership and work ethic: “A great leader,” Pederson once said. “He leads a lot by example… out to practice early, working on his craft.”
“Easy to Be First”: What Engram’s Quote Really Says About the Jaguars
GettyJacksonville enters 2025 searching for leaders who raise the standard, not just follow it.
Engram wasn’t taking a shot at his former team with his comment. If anything, he framed it as praise for the Broncos’ high-intensity locker room. “It’s just a contagious environment,” he said of Denver, where players routinely push each other and set a fast pace. Still, the contrast is striking. And for Jacksonville, Engram’s perspective offers a valuable window into the team’s evolving identity and internal culture.
In Jacksonville, he often led the charge. In Denver, he sees a group where that leadership is more widespread, where the bar is set collectively, not carried by a few. As he put it, there are “a lot of guys doing it at the highest level… we all want to get better.”
That’s not necessarily a knock on the Jaguars, but it is a revealing lens. Engram’s words offer rare honesty from a respected veteran who saw Jacksonville’s rise firsthand. And now, they double as a challenge.
A Culture Check for Jacksonville in 2025?
GettyCoen’s first camp sends a clear message: urgency is the new normal.
So, what does Evan Engram’s comparison mean for the Jaguars right now?
With Engram now gone, Jacksonville needs new leaders to take the reins. New defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile has already highlighted the leadership traits of former No. 1 pick Travon Walker, calling him “a great person with a lot of leadership qualities…a positive energy.” As Campanile put it: “When some of your best players are your best leaders… that’s what sets the culture of every building.”
Early signs from 2025 training camp also reinforce the culture shift. New head coach Liam Coen wasted no time dialing up intensity. Reporters noted that Day 1 wasn’t a “light, ramp-up practice” but rather a fast-paced, team-heavy session that demanded sharp execution and quick communication.
Fans shouldn’t overreact to a single former player’s reflection, but they should take note of what to watch as camp unfolds: Who’s first in the building now that Engram isn’t? Who’s pushing teammates when no one’s watching? Is Coen building a culture that rewards grind and not just talent?
The Jaguars already have core pieces. Now they need the day-to-day buy-in that turns talent into something sustainable. If leaders like Allen, Oluokun, and Walker step fully into that void, Jacksonville can regain the edge it showed two seasons ago.
Because in this league, building a winner is about standards. And in 2025, the Jaguars are about to find out where theirs really stand.
Former Jaguars TE Compares Jacksonville to Broncos