In commemoration of 4th of July, the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie class took a trip on Wednesday to the Mayport Naval Station to tour the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier and visit with several naval personnel. The players thanked the sailors for all of their dedication and hard work in protecting our country, and the visit was very well received by the players.
"It takes special people to go out there and put their life on the line every day like these people do," rookie tight end Marcedes Lewis said. "I appreciate it, and I know the rest of the rookies do, too. Just coming out here and getting a chance to do this really opens our eyes."
The players were taken around the JFK, known locally as "Big John," and shown all of the amenities the ship has to offer before holding a meet and greet with the contingent of crew on the ship.
"This was a great a chance today to meet some of the troops and get to know some of them," rookie running back Maurice Jones-Drew said. "I admire them for dealing with the heat like they do in their long sleeve shirts and long pants. To me that's unbelievable. Some guys even have boots on."
Handshakes and autographs were exchanged as many of the sailors walked away with autograph cards filled with signatures. The rookie class walked away from the day with a greater sense of appreciation for our armed forces.
