54 days until kickoff: We still haven’t replaced Mike Peterson

With just 54 days until kickoff, let’s talk about the greatest No. 54 to ever play for the Jacksonville Jaguars (and a guy we still haven’t replaced since cutting him in 2008) — Mike Peterson!

“Welcome to Duval, prepare to be hit.”

Peterson’s career started with the Indianapolis Colts, when he was selected in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played all but seven games in his four-year career with the Colts, establishing himself as a solid all-around linebacker who could make the inside tackle or defend the pass equally as well.

He was then signed by the Jaguars in 2003 and established himself as the best middle linebacker this franchise has ever known. He was tough, he was physical, he was fast, and he was his own man.

Peterson was the one responsible for the tagline, “Welcome to Duval, prepare to be hit” after using it as his introduction during a 2006 Monday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and he didn’t back down to head coach Jack Del Rio after he was demoted following an ugly loss to the Cincinnati Bengals where Peterson flexed his muscles after a sack in the third quarter while the team was still down 21-3.

He’s an incredible talent that the Jaguars had for too short a time. He was cut after the 2008 season and still played well with the Atlanta Falcons until his retirement in 2013.