From firefighting trainee to NFL quarterback: the resilient rise of Joey Aguilar
In short: Before leading professional football teams, Joey Aguilar considered abandoning the gridiron entirely. After a pandemic-induced season cancellation, the future Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback was studying to become a firefighter. His journey from junior college to the NFL is a masterclass in persistence and seizing unexpected opportunities.
The path to the NFL is rarely linear, and for Joey Aguilar, it nearly ended in a different kind of service. Following the 2020 cancellation of the football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aguilar, then at City College of San Francisco, contemplated ending his football career. He had begun taking firefighting courses, preparing for a life far removed from the stadium lights.
His trajectory shifted when he transferred to Diablo Valley College. After initially competing for the starting role against Dylan Graham in 2021, Aguilar secured the position and eventually moved to the Division I level with Appalachian State. He made an instant impression; although he stayed for just two years, 3,757 passing yards and 33 touchdowns became new school benchmarks in 2023. By throwing for 424 yards against East Carolina University during 2024, he secured a spot alongside the school's legendary players.
Aguilar's career has been defined by constant movement and adaptation. Following his time at Appalachian State, where he earned a degree in Communication Studies in 2025, he navigated a complex series of transfers involving UCLA and Tennessee. At Tennessee, he earned the starting role under coach Josh Heupel, leading a 45–26 victory over Syracuse in his debut.
Aguilar joined the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent on April 26, 2026, marking the end of this period. Though he faced the volatility of professional roster cuts in August 2026, his ability to navigate the highs of record-breaking college seasons and the lows of pandemic uncertainty remains the hallmark of his professional ascent.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Joey Aguilar
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