The Jaguars held the lead in the fourth quarter of the 2018 AFC Championship Game against the Patriots, and at that point, it seemed as if the team was on the verge of reaching their first Super Bowl. However, things took a turn for the worse towards the end of the game. Ever since, many Jaguars fans, players, and even people inside the organization have believed they were robbed of the first Super Bowl appearance. Now, star tight-end Rob Gronkowski has spoken up about that moment.

“Yeah, but we didn’t do the cheating.” Rob Gronkowski said on the 4th And South podcast on May 7, 2026, “I mean, it was just a call on the field at the time, but if you go back and watch it now, I don’t think he was down. And I think the NFL came out and even admitted that he wasn’t down. I think Tom even admitted it. But like, we didn’t have anything to do with that.”

What happened on January 21, 2018, still hurts the Jaguars fans. Jacksonville was leading 20-10 against New England in the AFC Championship Game when the momentum suddenly changed.

The biggest controversy came when Myles Jack stripped the ball, recovered it, and got up untouched with a clear path to the end zone. However, before Myles could reach the endzone for the score, the referees blew the whistle early, stopping the game. Many fans believe that exact moment cost Jacksonville its first trip to the Super Bowl.

In the end, the Patriots made a comeback and won 24-20.

Gronkowski pushed back on the idea that New England intentionally cheated, but he admitted the call sparked controversy and likely changed the game.

“Our running back got stripped in the corner, and Myles Jack picked it up and was going to the house.” Gronkowski continued, “That would have been a touchdown. That would have basically been the game. But it was such a bam bam play, and back then it wasn’t like all these reviews. When it’s that fast, you couldn’t tell in the moment. But when you go slow motion, you can’t sit there and say he was down.”

While New England may not have intended to cheat, the call still ended Jacksonville’s chance to reach the Super Bowl.

What Happened in Patriots vs. Jaguars AFC Championship Game

The controversial play that still frustrates Jacksonville Jaguars fans occurred with 13:53 left in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots.

New England tried a trick double pass play. Tom Brady passed the ball backwards to receiver Danny Amendola, who then passed the ball far into the field to running back Dion Lewis.

Lewis was running forward when Jaguars’ Myles Jack tackled him from behind. In one quick motion, Jack ripped the ball out of Lewis’ hands, forced a fumble, and recovered it himself.

Jack immediately got up and looked ready to run the ball back for a touchdown. It looked like he had a clear path to the end zone.

A touchdown would have likely given Jacksonville a 27-10 lead late in the game. But the officials had already blown the whistle and ruled Jack down by contact. The Jaguars got possession of the ball, but they lost the chance at what could have been a game-changing touchdown.

Jacksonville then went three-and-out on its next drive. The Patriots responded with an eight-play, 85-yard touchdown drive. New England later scored again with just over two minutes remaining and eventually won the game 24-20.

Years later, even Tom Brady admitted the Jaguars likely got robbed on the play. During an appearance on The Pivot Podcast in May 2024, Tom Brady was asked by Jaguars legend Fred Taylor whether he thought Myles Jack was actually down.

“Oh no, I don’t think he was down. Oh God, I don’t think we were catching him either,” Brady said.

Then, in 2025, former Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin said during an appearance on 1010XL with Dan Hicken that the NFL acknowledged the officials got the call wrong.

But even with that acknowledgment, it does not change the outcome of one of the most painful losses in Jaguars history.