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For nearly eight years, Travis Etienne and Trevor Lawrence shared the same backfield.
Their partnership began at Clemson, where they helped the Tigers win three ACC titles, make three straight College Football Playoff appearances from 2018-20, and capture the national championship during the 2018 season. The two then continued their run together with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
That streak is now over.
Etienne left Jacksonville in free agency and signed a four-year, $52 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, bringing the Louisiana native back home. Lawrence remains the Jaguars’ quarterback after signing a five-year, $275 million contract extension before the 2024 season.
Speaking at his introductory press conference on Friday, Etienne said it will take time to adjust to playing without Lawrence.
“Honestly, I feel like it’s going to be very different,” Etienne said. “I feel like it hasn’t really hit me yet. I feel like it will probably hit me whenever I’m in training camp and I look over and I’m like, ‘This is not Trevor.’ Because just being with him for eight years, you kind of just grow to understand, like, ‘That’s my QB.’ But I feel like I’m excited for both our journeys. Because I feel like we did a lot of great things together, but I feel like both of us, our best football is ahead of us. And I feel like that’s what I’m more excited about.”
Etienne is coming off another productive season in 2025, rushing for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 36 receptions for 292 yards and six scores. It marked his third 1,000-yard rushing season in four active NFL years after missing his rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury.
The chance to join the Saints did not take much convincing for Etienne, who grew up rooting for the team in Jennings, Louisiana.
“Whenever the Saints reached out, I don’t think there was nothing that could have stopped me from coming here, honestly,” Etienne said. “I wasn’t thinking Saints pre-free agency, because I didn’t know if they had interest or anything. But whenever the Saints became available, it was kind of like a no-brainer to me.”
Etienne also said he wants a fresh start with a new jersey number in New Orleans, hoping to switch from No. 1 to No. 3 as he begins the next chapter of his career.
“I want to switch the jersey. I feel like [No.] 1, it was a cool number, but I feel like I’m a different person, different player,” Etienne said. “I feel like I’ve matured, I’ve kind of grown and I’ve grown into a man, I’ve become my own. I got my own son now and life has changed, and I feel like that chapter has passed.”
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Travis Etienne on no longer playing with Clemson, Jaguars teammate
Continue reading...
Their partnership began at Clemson, where they helped the Tigers win three ACC titles, make three straight College Football Playoff appearances from 2018-20, and capture the national championship during the 2018 season. The two then continued their run together with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
That streak is now over.
Etienne left Jacksonville in free agency and signed a four-year, $52 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, bringing the Louisiana native back home. Lawrence remains the Jaguars’ quarterback after signing a five-year, $275 million contract extension before the 2024 season.
Speaking at his introductory press conference on Friday, Etienne said it will take time to adjust to playing without Lawrence.
“Honestly, I feel like it’s going to be very different,” Etienne said. “I feel like it hasn’t really hit me yet. I feel like it will probably hit me whenever I’m in training camp and I look over and I’m like, ‘This is not Trevor.’ Because just being with him for eight years, you kind of just grow to understand, like, ‘That’s my QB.’ But I feel like I’m excited for both our journeys. Because I feel like we did a lot of great things together, but I feel like both of us, our best football is ahead of us. And I feel like that’s what I’m more excited about.”
Etienne is coming off another productive season in 2025, rushing for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 36 receptions for 292 yards and six scores. It marked his third 1,000-yard rushing season in four active NFL years after missing his rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury.
The chance to join the Saints did not take much convincing for Etienne, who grew up rooting for the team in Jennings, Louisiana.
“Whenever the Saints reached out, I don’t think there was nothing that could have stopped me from coming here, honestly,” Etienne said. “I wasn’t thinking Saints pre-free agency, because I didn’t know if they had interest or anything. But whenever the Saints became available, it was kind of like a no-brainer to me.”
Etienne also said he wants a fresh start with a new jersey number in New Orleans, hoping to switch from No. 1 to No. 3 as he begins the next chapter of his career.
“I want to switch the jersey. I feel like [No.] 1, it was a cool number, but I feel like I’m a different person, different player,” Etienne said. “I feel like I’ve matured, I’ve kind of grown and I’ve grown into a man, I’ve become my own. I got my own son now and life has changed, and I feel like that chapter has passed.”
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Travis Etienne on no longer playing with Clemson, Jaguars teammate
Continue reading...
