Brian Thomas Jr. endured through an up-and-down sophomore campaign with Jacksonville, one that was marred by injuries and inconsistent play.
But during his first-career playoff appearance on Sunday, Thomas put all of that behind him when he scored the game’s opening touchdown early in the second quarter.
With the Jaguars set up with a 2nd-and-goal inside the 5-yard line, Thomas split out into a bunch set and ran a short hitch to the goal line. After briefly surveying the coverage, Trevor Lawrence found the 6-foot-2 target for a short touchdown catch.
Thomas shined as a rookie in 2024, as the LSU product racked up 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns on 89 catches that year. That output earned him a Pro Bowl nod and Offensive Rookie of the Year Honors, but Thomas’ 2025 campaign has fallen somewhat short of that high bar.
With injuries playing a factor, Thomas has yet to post a game with over 90 receiving yards this year, and his season total stood at 48 catches for 707 yards and just 2 touchdowns entering Sunday. The touchdown grab is Thomas’s only catch of the game up to this point.
The Bills have since taken a 10-7 lead as halftime approaches in this Wild Card matchup.
Parker is currently the sports editor for the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
