Jaguars on the spot: Chad Muma says lack of competition makes a player 'stay stagnant'

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Jaguars on the spot: Chad Muma says lack of competition makes a player 'stay stagnant'

Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union · The Florida Times-Union

Fri, Jul 25, 2025 ·

2 min read

Chad Muma , linebacker

Years with Jaguars : Four.

Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Chad Muma is entering his fourth NFL season.

Career highlights: Muma has missed only one game during his NFL career, and has played in 50 games with seven starts at outside linebacker. He was a third-round pick from Wyoming, and the second linebacker the Jaguars took in that draft, after first-round pick Devin Lloyd . Muma has 38 solo tackles and 41 assists, with three for losses and 1.5 sacks. He has yet to record a turnover, either through an interception or fumble recovery. Muma has also been an enthusiastic special-teams player, with 14 tackles on the kicking game.

Camp scenario: Muma ended the 2024 season backing up Devin Lloyd at outside linebacker. He could be caught in a squeeze play with Lloyd returning, Yasir Abdullah being used more at linebacker in the early going of training camp, drafting Jack Kiser of Notre Dame and Jalen McLeod of Auburn, and signing free agent Dennis Gardeck (although Gardeck began the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list). Although Muma has helped himself with his special teams play, the new staff may decide they could accomplish the same with Kiser or McLeod.

Chad Muma on his prospects for 2025

"I have to come out here and be myself. It's improving on what I struggled with last year and building on what I did well, showcasing that as a player on defense, showcasing that on special teams. Coming into this camp, it's just a different energy. I think I kind of felt it during OTAs. I was super-excited to come back and really motivated for this year. Not saying I wasn't motivated previous years but it was sut a different energy in the building."

Chad Muma on the new defensive scheme

"There's a lot of new techniques that I never played before [in the NFL]. This kind of goes back to the techniques I used in college. I'm super-comfortable and I can play a little faster, the run or the pass. It's better vision. Without saying too much, it's better vision on the quarterback."

Chad Muma on his NFL career and competition

"It [an NFL career] flies by. It's crazy to think that it's already year four. The NFL comes fast. Competition makes us all better, pushing each other on the field and in the classroom every single day. You drive that competition because if you don't have any competition, you stay stagnant."