Christian Kirk silenced critics during his first season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he wants more. The veteran receiver doesn’t just want people to think he’s good enough to deserve the contract he signed in 2022, he wants to be considered one of the NFL’s best.
“I still feel like I don’t get the respect that I deserve,” Kirk said Monday on Up & Adams. “With all the noise after I signed my contract this offseason, it was the loudest. Now, after the season that I had, it started to get real quiet and everybody kind of hushed a little bit.
“But I want my respect. I feel like I’m one of the best receivers in the NFL. That’s the way I play, that’s the chip I carry on my shoulder, and I’m going to keep earning it.”
Kirk, 26, signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Jaguars last offseason, making him one of the 20 highest paid receivers in the NFL, despite never eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards in his four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
In his first season in Jacksonville, Kirk caught 84 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns, all career-highs. In the playoffs, Kirk caught another 15 passes for 130 yards with two touchdowns.
Kirk’s breakout year didn’t earn him Pro Bowl honors, but he’s not completely alone in thinking he’s one of the best receivers in the league. Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill called Kirk a top five player at the position.
It’d likely take an even bigger year from Kirk in 2023 for others to agree with Hill.
