JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Tashaun Gipson is a Jacksonville Jaguar again — but before "Sacksonville" fans can get excited, the safety won't be able to play a regular-season game until Week 7 due to a suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs while with the 49ers.
Gipson said his goal with the Jaguars is to catch up.
"Just getting back into the groove of things, obviously," Gipson said. "It was a long season last year, coming off of the Super Bowl loss. But coming here, just getting my body back acclimated to football and things of that, no matter how much you train."
He noted he's never taken a back seat from the game for this long.
"It'll be unfamiliar territory for me," Gipson said. "But obviously, I'm grateful for the opportunity. I'm grateful that they had enough respect for me as a man, as a player, as a person to bring me in here and give me an opportunity."
Jaguars starting safety Andrew Wingard and Darnell Savage are dealing with injuries. Head coach Doug Pederson said that influenced the decision to add Gipson to the rotation.
"Tashaun making the 53 and things of that nature at the end of camp," Pederson said. "But for us too, it's a veteran player that we're familiar with, who gives us more depth, gives us an opportunity at safety that right now kind of fills a spot."
Gipson expressed gratitude for still playing in the NFL in his 12th season.
"First and foremost, God. First and foremost, I'll say that," he said. "I've always had that chip on my shoulder. Just being an undrafted guy, I thought that was something that I used to hate. Even after Pro Bowls and accolades, they still referred to me as an undrafted free agent. That thing just used to always push me, and it's just something that I always stayed humble and always worked because I always felt like I never would get the same luxury as those first-round guys.
He believes there is still a point to prove in the NFL.
"So just staying grounded, no matter the accolades, no matter the success I've had, I just always felt like each year could be that year. I mean, going through things in your career, you get cut a couple of times and you look at yourself. Sometimes, I'll admit, you've got to question yourself, like, 'Man, why is this happening?' When those things happen, you've just got to put your big boy pants on and you've got to go back to work. I think that everything that I went through in my career from the time being undrafted to this point made me humble, made me work hard and just always understanding that it's a blessing to play in the National Football League. Being here is a blessing of a lifetime and I never take it for granted."
Word on when Wingard will be back on the field has not yet been determined. He is dealing with a knee injury.