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After 19 seasons as the Jacksonville Jaguars mascot and best mascot in the NFL, Curtis Dvorak has decided to hang up the furry cleats and retire.
It's a sad day in Jaguars history, as the one thing that was consistent about the franchise is no more. He made his first appearance on August 18, 1996 and apparently made his last during the Jaguars home finale on Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans.
I don't know if the Jaguars will replace Curtis as the mascot and keep Jaxson DeVille going in perpetuity, but one thing for sure is it won't be the same, at least at first.
There's only one Jaxson DeVille, and now he's gone.
Curtis made game days fun, even when the Jaguars didn't. From his wacky entrances and jumping off the light fixtures, to beating up fake celebrities and opposing team fans to get everyone upset. Remember how many yokels wanted him fired when he beat up fake Tim Tebow in the opening game of the 2010 season? Boy, that post game show was fun.
He was involved in plenty of controversies during his tenure and even forced the NFL to implement mascot rules and guidelines, because teams complained so much. He once beat up a life size stuffed Kordell Stewart right next to the Pittsburgh Steelers huddle on the field.
After a game against the Indianapolis Colts, then general manager Bill Polian complained about Jaxson's antics and the next meeting against the Colts, Jaxson was stuck in a cage on the sidelines.
Then there was the infamous "Towels Carry Ebola" sign this past season.
Jaxson wasn't just a staple on game day, he was a staple in the community. He was always at charitable events, doing plenty of events with kids and schools, and just overall bringing a smile to everyone's face. I really don't know what else to say about Curtis, because he was one hell of an entertainer, but it's nice to see him be able to go out on his own terms, rather than being a broken down mascot who can't even scale the scoreboard.
I'm just sad my kids won't get to experience the real Jaxson.