​Joey Aguilar spent just one season in the Tennessee football program, but that single line on his résumé made a lasting impression that he literally wears on his skin. His new tattoo is one continuous piece that chronicles three distinct chapters of his football journey. On one side, a depiction of the Golden Gate Bridge sits beside a bold number 16, commemorating his two years of junior college football in the Bay Area. Adjacent to that, the Appalachian Mountains rise beside a towering number 4, marking his time at Appalachian State. And next to them, Neyland Stadium stands beside a number 6, the latest chapter that remains the most firmly etched in his memory and, perhaps, the most meaningful.
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ rookie quarterback capped the second leg of his youth football camp tour on July 11 at Webb School of Knoxville, continuing a three-city run through Tennessee with FlexWork Sports. The tour began July 10 in Kingsport and is slated to conclude July 12 in Chattanooga. In total, three camps in three days feature a quarterback who spent only one season with the Volunteers.
Former Tennessee player Aguilar spoke with campers at Webb School in Knoxville, reflecting on what keeps drawing him back. “The community in general, and everything Tennessee has to offer,” he said on July 11. “Coaches, players, community, and just people I’ve met outside of football who’ve helped me since I stepped foot in Knoxville. It’s very hard to find; it keeps driving me to keep going.”
Rylan Moffit, who became engaged to Aguilar on June 30, watched the warm reception with a smile. The two met during Aguilar’s two seasons at Appalachian State, which is the second stop clearly featured on his leg. “It’s awesome,” Moffit said. “The impact he’s had in such a short period of time is a blessing, and we thank God for the platform he has. This is what he loves to do—give back and make sure everybody feels special.”
Aguilar also faced the NCAA in a bid for a fourth Division I season, a legal pursuit that ended in February when a Knox County judge denied his request to return to Tennessee. “It’s a blessing to play at Tennessee and a blessing to play in the NFL,” he said after receiving the ruling. “Once I got my answer, I wasn’t upset. It was on to the next thing.”
He went on to sign with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent on April 26, agreeing to a standard three-year rookie contract worth $3.1 million. Only $247,500 of that is guaranteed, a substantial amount for an undrafted player, yet not a guarantee of a roster spot when the season begins in September. Aguilar is battling for the third quarterback job behind Trevor Lawrence and Nick Mullens, with Carter Bradley in the mix, already having a year of NFL experience under his belt. It’s a familiar position for a quarterback who has never simply walked into a role that was already his.
“Camp’s been awesome,” Aguilar said of the Jacksonville stop. “It’s been super hot. I don’t think I stop sweating until I get back inside to the AC. Rookies get a lot of extra spare time in the hotels, so we go over plays and walk through ourselves.” The three-city tour–Kingsport, Knoxville, and Chattanooga–offers a window into a year that has required adaptability, perseverance, and a steadfast belief that every stop along the way matters, both on and off the field.