Why the Jaguars Have the Most Underrated Special Teams Entering 2026
To be a complete team in the NFL, it takes more than just a competent offense and defense. The Jacksonville Jaguars know this better than anybody, with an offense that had one of the biggest turnarounds of the 2025 season led by a matured quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, alongside a defense that was arguably the best in the league at stopping the run. Despite maintaining both coordinators entering 2026 and numerous big names on the roster for both sides of the ball, the Jaguars found true success in the most forgotten and overlooked side of the game in the special teams. Not many fans could name the Jacksonville punter or even the special teams coordinator, but the execution of the unit won numerous games for Duval County.
First, the Jaguars have one of the best kickers in the league in Cam Little. The former Razorback set the record for the longest field goal in NFL history at 68 yards, as well as the longest field goal in an organized football game at 70 yards. In two seasons with Jacksonville, Little has currently made 90.5% of his field goal attempts, making him one of the more accurate kickers in the league despite only being 22 years old. The coaching staff can trust him to be reliable in big situations and change the tide of a game fast, with clutch being a major factor in his performance. The Jaguars also have Logan Cooke as their punter, and he is arguably the best punter in the league. The former Mississippi State Bulldog currently owns the highest career net punting average in NFL history, alongside his 2024 Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro selections.
Long snapper Ross Matiscik has been credited with helping the success of Cooke and Little, as he’s one of the longest tenured Jaguars currently with the franchise. Matiscik is a two-time First-Team All-Pro and has been named to three Pro Bowls in his career. The consistency that all three of these athletes provide to the Jacksonville organization is unmatched, allowing their special team operations to run smoothly and be successful on a weekly basis. However, all the praise needs to go to special teams coordinator Heath Farwell. His unit is known for consistently winning the field-position battle, putting the Jaguars in a position to win every single game. If the special teams unit can continue this success into 2026, they could be a dangerous unit and continue to put points on the board that will decide games.
