Florida Jaguars Face Major Challenge as Veteran Center Mitch Morse Retires

Mitch Morse, a longtime center for the Jacksonville Jaguars, announced on Thursday that he is retiring from the NFL after a ten-season career. During his time in the league, Morse was a reliable starter and played a key role in nearly 100 wins. His decision to retire at age 32 creates a major challenge for the Jaguars, who now must find a new starting center for the 2025 season.

Morse joined the Jaguars as a free agent last offseason and started in all 17 games during the 2024 season. In his retirement statement, Morse highlighted the importance of the connections he made throughout his career. He said, “The things I’ll remember and cherish most about my career are the relationships and bonds I created with my teammates, both on and off the field.” He expressed gratitude to the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Jacksonville Jaguars for the opportunities they gave him over his decade-long career. Morse’s retirement comes with one year left on his $10.5 million contract, which means the Jaguars will avoid a $5.4 million cap hit in 2025.

With Morse’s retirement, the Jaguars will now have their fourth different starting center in five seasons. The team previously dealt with the retirements of Brandon Linder in 2022 and the departure of Luke Fortner. This latest change adds to the ongoing instability on Jacksonville’s offensive line, especially since veteran right guard Brandon Scherff is expected to become an unrestricted free agent when the 2025 League Year begins.

Morse was originally drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons with the Chiefs and five with the Buffalo Bills before signing with the Jaguars. One of the main reasons Morse chose to join the Jaguars was the presence of head coach Doug Pederson. However, Pederson was fired in January, which has added complexity to the situation. The Jaguars have since hired Liam Coen as their new head coach.

Throughout his career, Morse started in 156 games, including playoff appearances, and achieved a record of 98 wins and 58 losses. This record reflects his consistent role on successful teams. Statistically, Morse was a dependable player: he only fumbled twice in his entire career and never lost a fumble. Defensively, his contributions were limited, with a total of seven tackles (all solo) and one sack. He did not record any interceptions, forced fumbles, or defensive touchdowns.

Now, the Jaguars must focus on finding a new starting center in the coming weeks. The team is expected to explore both free agency and the NFL draft to identify a suitable replacement for Morse. With ten picks in the upcoming draft, the Jaguars have multiple opportunities to strengthen the position and address this critical need.