Former Tennessee Vols QB delivered game-winning bomb for Jaguars, and it might have made things interesting in Jacksonville
The VFL’s first NFL throw was a memorable one.
Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar tried to eek out one more season on Rocky Top after a memorable 2025 campaign. But after a Knox County judge struck down that idea, Aguilar and Tennessee has to continue their 2026 season apart.
For the former, that meant catching on with an NFL team after going undrafted. Aguilar signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2026 NFL Draft. While the Jaguars have franchise QB Trevor Lawrence locked in for years to come, the battle for the QB2 and 3 spots are up for grabs in the training camp and preseason.
The hill has seemed to be a steep one for Aguilar to climb to stay in Jacksonville once rosters are cut down to 53 and practice squads are signed.
However, Aguilar made the most of his chance on Saturday in New Orleans in the Jags’ first preseason game against the Saints. Aguilar came in during the fourth quarter, and on his one and only pass attempt, he laid in a gem to WR Trebor Pena for 43 yards that set up Jacksonville inside the five yard line in the fourth quarter. J’Mari Taylor ran it in one play later for a 24-20 lead that held up for good.
Joey Aguilar delivered 43-yard pass to set up game-winning score in Jags’ 24-20 preseason opener against Saints
Aguilar wasn’t called on to do much, but he certainly made it count. And his competition for the QB3 spot — Carter Bradley — didn’t do too much by comparison across more game time. Bradley went 10/17 for 105 yards with a touchdown and an interception and took three sacks.
“Joey Aguilar’s first NFL completion is on a double move,” head coach Liam Coen said after the game. “(Offensive coordinator) Grant (Udinski) wasn’t really letting him settle in there. It was good. Sometimes those are better where you don’t have to think as much. You can just kind of let it rip.”
In all likelihood, Aguilar is fighting for a spot on the practice squad, with veteran Nick Mullins backing up Lawrence as the only two QBs on the 53-man roster. But that would still be a terrific result for the former Vol if that happens and give him a chance to continue his development in Jacksonville.
We’ll see how things fare next week for Aguilar in that quest, but for now, it was a big step forward inside the Superdome.
