Who is James Stewart? Former Jaguars & Lions RB announces draft pick a day after sister passes away

Bryan Murphy

Who is James Stewart? Former Jaguars & Lions RB announces draft pick a day after sister passes away image

It was a bittersweet moment on Friday when former Jaguars running back James Stewart announced the team's second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft

Stewart played for five seasons in Duval, and he's statistically one of the best backs to play for the Jaguars in franchise history. He was given the honor of announcing the team's No. 48 pick in 2024, which was used to take LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith. 

While Jaguars fans celebrated the addition along the defensive line, Stewart delivered heartbreaking personal news at the podium — the death of his younger sister. 

Here's more to know about Stewart and his sister. 

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Who is James Stewart?

Stewart is a former running back who played for eight seasons in the NFL. After being drafted with the No. 19 overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft, he spent five years with the Jaguars from 1995-99 before ending his career with the Lions (2000-02). 

A standout at Tennessee in college, Stewart currently holds the mark for the third-most rushing yards and third-most rushing touchdowns in Jaguars history. 

James Stewart sister

Before announcing the Jaguars' second-round pick, Stewart revealed that his "baby sister died" last night. He thanked the city of Detroit and asked for fans to say a prayer for him and his family. 

It is not known what the cause of death was. 

James Stewart stats

Stewart did not transform into a stud in the NFL, but he was still a reliable back during his time in the league. 

His best seasons came during his time with the Lions. After five years in Jacksonville, Stewart left the AFC South member for the NFC North, signing with Detroit in free agency ahead of the 2000 season. 

He rushed for a career-high 1,184 yards in his first season with the Lions. Stewart's numbers dropped in 2001, but he got back over the 1,000-yard threshold in 2002, his final season in the league. 

Here is a look at his career rushing numbers in the NFL. 

Season Team Games Attempts Rush Attempts TDs
1995 Jacksonville Jaguars 14 137 525 2
1996 Jacksonville Jaguars 13 190 723 8
1997 Jacksonville Jaguars 16 136 555 8
1998 Jacksonville Jaguars 3 53 217 2
1999 Jacksonville Jaguars 14 249 931 13
2000 Detroit Lions 16 339 1,184 10
2001 Detroit Lions 11 143 685 1
2002 Detroit Lions 14 231 1,021 4
Total   101 1,478 5,841 48

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.