The Jacksonville Jaguars have spent the past two seasons making life miserable for opposing running backs, and now, they have an NFL record to show for it.
Through five games this season, Jacksonville has not allowed a single opposing player to rush for 40 yards in a game. According to Pro Football Talk, the Jaguars are the first team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to accomplish that feat through the first five games of a season. The last team to do it was the 1969 Dallas Cowboys.
Denver Broncos running back Jonah Coleman has come the closest this season, rushing for 39 yards against Jacksonville in Week 2.
The numbers only get more impressive. Jacksonville has allowed an NFL-low 63.8 rushing yards per game and just 2.9 yards per carry this season.
Over the past two weeks, the Jaguars held Cincinnati to 23 rushing yards and Philadelphia to only 22. Opposing running backs specifically have combined for only 210 yards on 83 carries, an average of 2.5 yards per attempt.The Jaguars finished 2025 with the NFL's No. 1 rushing defense under defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, setting a franchise record by allowing just 85.6 rushing yards per game. Jacksonville also became only the third team since 2000 to go an entire season without allowing an individual 75-yard rusher.
That streak has continued into 2026. Including last season's playoff game, Jacksonville has now gone 23 consecutive games without allowing an opposing player to rush for 75 yards. Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was the last player to come particularly close, finishing with 74 yards against the Jaguars last season.
Stopping the run has become a point of pride for Campanile's defense. As linebacker Dennis Gardeck said this week, "It's about us imposing our will as a team."
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars make NFL history with dominant run defense
