Jags' Trevor Lawrence heard whispers that he was a 'bust' heading into season

Following a brutal rookie campaign, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence knew what was at stake heading into the 2022 season. Lawrence also knew that the whispers of 'bust' were getting louder and louder. 

On Wednesday, Lawrence published an article in The Players Tribune reflecting on the Jags' remarkable year and how he dealt with the pressures of this past season. 

"It was tough. After the coaching change, there was a lot of uncertainty and instability," Lawrence wrote. "I could tell there were guys who were looking forward to being anywhere else. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't hear the noise. Not just the noise around our team, but around me as a player." 

Lawrence credited conversations with his wife for helping him block the noise from outside and focus on improving to help supplant himself as a long-term solution in Jacksonville. 

"I felt the pain of the city. I knew what people expected from me, and what they'd invested in me," Lawrence wrote. "I knew that I was supposed to be a part of something different for this team. I understood." 

Lawrence thrived in head coach Doug Pederson's first year at the helm, and eventually, so too did the Jaguars. 

Last season, Lawrence's first in the NFL, he completed only 59.6% of his passes, finishing the year with 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, leading Jacksonville to a miserable 3-14 mark in 17 starts. 

In 2022, Lawrence's numbers improved significantly. The 23-year-old completed 66.3% of his passes, throwing for 4,113 yards, with 25 touchdowns to only eight interceptions. 

Behind Lawrence, the Jaguars won six of its last seven games, including a 20-16 victory in Week 18's finale, clinching a 9-8 record and the AFC South title. 

The following week, Lawrence and the Jags would stun the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC Wild Card Round before the Kansas City Chiefs ended their season in the Divisional Round. 

Now, months after he worried that players wouldn't want to stay in Jacksonville, the vibe is different, and Lawrence has taken notice. 

"I hear guys talking like they know this is one of the best organizations in football, and they wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Lawrence wrote. "Like we're building something here for the long haul. And stuff like that, man ... It feels good."