Travis Etienne Jr., Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars hands off to Travis Etienne Jr. #1 during the first quarter in the AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at EverBank Stadium on January 11, 2026 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The Jacksonville Jaguars have had a backfield featuring former college teammates Travis Etienne Jr. and Trevor Lawrence for the last five seasons.
Back in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Jaguars were able to land Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick. They backed up that selection by taking Etienne at No. 25 overall.
Lawrence and Etienne were co-stars together for the Clemson Tigers in college. They have played their respective NFL careers together as well. On Monday, that reportedly came to an end.
According to a report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Etienne has agreed to terms on a four-year deal worth $52 million with the New Orleans Saints. That decision will split the former college teammates for the first time in many years.
Following Etienne’s decision to leave Jacksonville to joint he Saints, he took to social media to react to his split with Lawrence.
Travis Etienne Jr. Reacts to Parting Ways with Trevor Lawrence
Etienne didn’t write any words in his post on X, but he shared a fitting GIF.
Lawrence shared his own goodbye to Etienne in a post on X. He did write a short sentence to his longtime teammate.
“We’ve come a long way!! Going to miss you man been a hell of an 8 year run. Best is yet to come,” Lawrence wrote.
Being teammates for eight straight years, coming into the NFL and growing together, and all of the journey in between are moments that neither player will forget. It’s a sad day, but Etienne is excited for his new chapter closer to home.
As shared by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, moving closer to home was a big factor for Etienne in free agency.
“Source: Former Jaguars RB Travis Etienne will be signing with the New Orleans Saints,” Schefter wrote. “He’s from Louisiana and it was important for him to be near home.”
Etienne Has a Big Opportunity Ahead of Him with the Saints
Currently, the Saints still have Alvin Kamara on the roster. Whether he chooses to stay for another season, opts for retirement, or gets traded, the future is bright for Etienne in New Orleans.
Kamara is no longer the superstar running back that he once was. The Saints are making this move with the goal of Etienne being their long-term running back.
Throughout his 66-game NFL career, Etienne has carried the football 897 times for 3,798 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has averaged 4.2 yards per carry, while also catching 168 passes for 1,338 yards and seven more scores.
Seeing the two longtime teammates part ways is an emotional moment. Hopefully, they’re both able to find success and live up to the hype that they entered the NFL with moving forward.