Jaguars safety Andre Cisco looking to create his own legacy this year

It wasn’t always easy for Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andre Cisco last year, his rookie season in the NFL after being selected in the third round.

Still, Cisco was able to put enough tape out there after earning three starts at the end of the season ahead of veteran Andrew Wingard, who was out due to being placed on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list.

Entering this year, Cisco looks to take the league by storm, something he didn’t really get an opportunity to do last year. He recently spoke with ESPN+ broadcaster Luke Winstel at defensive backs specialist Oliver Davis’ camp, where Cisco helped teach young defensive backs skills.

In the interview, Cisco detailed everything from how he felt about last year to what he wants to prove this year as a potential full-time starter in Jacksonville.

“My first season didn’t go exactly how I wanted to in terms of how I saw it, in terms of me just taking the league by storm,” Cisco said when asked about his journey from Syracuse to the NFL. “But, it’s a process and it looks different for everyone. So, I’m glad about the things I learned last year, and I’m able to apply them in year two.”

Last season, Cisco would play just 67 defensive snaps over his first 13 games of the season. He’d play 56 snaps total in games 14 and 15 while playing nearly the full allotment of snaps during the final two weeks of the season, a total of 122 snaps.

Cisco finished the year with 26 total tackles, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles, including one during the final week of the season in the team’s upset victory over the Indianapolis Colts, 26-11.

Even though he didn’t get all of the playing time he’d have liked to get, Cisco still learned plenty throughout his first season in the NFL, including being a professional.

“Being a professional is about everything,” Cisco said. “It’s about who you are as a person, when it comes to being a professional NFL. You can’t just freestyle and think that certain actions don’t have a cost. You want everything to go towards the end goal, which is, you know, Hall of Fame, Super Bowls and things like that.”

Cisco has prepared well for this upcoming season, participating in many camps with specialists, including with Davis over the past couple of months. That, Cisco hopes, should help him move forward and become an impact player in Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell’s scheme.

“I’m looking to be a young leader, someone that really puts efforts towards changing the organization and becoming a winning organization,” Cisco remarked.

“I think you have some in the league that everyone knows [are] winning organizations, you want to make Jacksonville one of those. So I’m glad to be a part of it. I’m looking forward to having a big year for them.”

The Jaguars have won just four games over the past two seasons combined. They haven’t had a winning season since 2017 when the team faced off against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game.

Now, Cisco hopes he can be part of a huge turnaround in Jacksonville. That all began with the hiring of former Super Bowl champion head coach Doug Pederson, and a staff full of former NFL talents, including his D.C. in Caldwell. The combination should help the team develop into winners, Cisco feels.

“It was a great first impression throughout the spring, OTAs,” Cisco said of the new staff.

“Understanding that we have guys that are former players on the defensive side so they understand the shoes that we wear each day and the responsibility and things that we have to do to be in position to be ready for game day.

“So I appreciate the guys that we have and look forward to working with this first season with them.”

Cisco has the ability to be a game-changer for the Jaguars. During his career at Syracuse, he was one of the best defensive backs in college football at creating turnovers. He was credited with 13 interceptions over just 24 games. He would play in just two games during his final season in college football before suffering a torn ACL.

Though his “welcome to the NFL” moment came a bit later than he’d like, he was able to accomplish that near the end of the season and has a passion for taking the league by storm this year under new leadership.

“Take a league by storm let everyone know who I am as a player, who I’m trying to be off the field, and really just create my own legacy.”