Four players on Sunday’s rosters have worn both Patriots and Jaguars colors, but Jakobi Meyers leading the Jags as a team captain against his former squad? That’s the real story to watch when these teams clash at EverBank Stadium. It’s not just offensive line coach Doug Marrone facing his old friends, it’s a whole lot of history hitting the field at once.
Jags Bringing the Heat With Familiar Faces
Jakobi Meyers, man, what a journey! He came into the NFL undrafted out of North Carolina State back in 2019 and absolutely balled out for the Patriots. We’re talking 235 receptions for 2,758 yards and eight touchdowns over 60 games and 39 starts. And get this, the dude’s an ex-quarterback, so he even threw a pair of touchdowns. Meyers led the Pats in receiving yards three straight seasons and snagged their Ed Block Courage Award. He moved on to the Las Vegas Raiders as an unrestricted free agent in 2023, then got traded to the AFC South last November. Now he’s in Jacksonville, sporting a three-year, $60 million extension and the captain’s patch. Since leaving Foxborough, he’s crushed it with 236 catches, 2,737 yards, and 16 touchdowns in 49 games and 46 starts, plus three more scores from rushing and passing. He’s 29 years old and a legit threat.
And then there’s linebacker Jahlani Tavai. The Patriots released him after five seasons, even though he was under contract through 2027 with a $16 million base value. Tavai first landed in Foxborough on the practice squad in 2021 after the Lions waived him. He ended up playing in 76 games for the Pats, starting 51, logging 350 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles. He was huge on defense and special teams with 2,606 defensive snaps and 1,293 special teams snaps. Tavai even got New England’s Ed Block Courage Award on their run to Super Bowl LX. The No. 43 overall pick from 2019 just agreed to terms with the Jaguars in August training camp and already has four tackles on their active roster. It’s gonna be wild seeing him go against his old teammates too.
New England’s Familiar New Faces
On the Patriots’ side, wide receiver Chandler Brayboy is back in the mix, having joined their practice squad after a workout in September. His first NFL stop was actually Jacksonville, where he signed as an undrafted free agent in 2025. Brayboy spent his entire rookie year on the Jags’ practice squad, got retained on a futures contract in January, then got waived at the cutdown deadline in August. This 25-year-old was an FCS All-American, CAA Special Teams Player of the Year, and Elon team captain. He racked up insane college stats: 2,660 receiving yards, 245 rushing yards, 1,568 kickoff return yards, and 22 all-purpose touchdowns over 55 games since 2019. Keep an eye on him. Guard Greg Van Roten also had a visit with the Patriots in early August.
With a 1 p.m. ET kickoff, you know this one’s gonna be wild. These history-soaked matchups always hit different, and watching who steps up amongst these former teammates is gonna be epic.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
Leave a Reply