The Jacksonville Jaguars had a nightmare situation on special teams in Week 5, when long snapper Ross Matiscik was injured on the first punt attempt of the day. Defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton stepped in to take his place, and became the game's unlikely MVP, even with Cam Little delivering the game-winning kick and Ameer Abdullah with the return that made it possible.
The real MVP 🙌#PHIvsJAX pic.twitter.com/ivdt8hoLZn
— Jaguars UK and IE (@JaguarsUKandIE) October 11, 2026
Hamilton was forced to step into a role that could hardly be further removed from his usual responsibilities on the defensive line. He handled the Jaguars' long-snapping duties for the final three-plus quarters, including the most important snap of the afternoon.
After Abdullah's 53-yard kickoff return gave Jacksonville one final
opportunity with one second remaining, Hamilton delivered the snap on Cam Little's 57-yard field goal that secured the win. His snaps were not always perfect, but the emergency operation held together when Jacksonville needed it most.
Hamilton also contributed in his regular role on defense. He helped stop Eagles running back Will Shipley for no gain on fourth-and-1 in the first quarter, giving Jacksonville possession before Parker Washington's 51-yard touchdown three plays later.
That made Hamilton's afternoon one of the more unusual performances of the Jaguars' season. He entered the game expecting to help stop Philadelphia's running attack, and ended it as an emergency long snapper on a walk-off field goal. Little's kick may have provided the highlight, but without Hamilton stepping into an unfamiliar role after Matiscik went down, Jacksonville's dramatic finish may never have been possible.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Surprise player dubbed the ‘real MVP’ of wild Jaguars win over Eagles
