Taken 25th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Clemson, Travis Etienne Jr. reunited with his college quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, bringing explosive, big-play ability to the offense. His professional debut was delayed after a Lisfranc injury sustained during the preseason sidelined him for his entire rookie season, postponing his backfield debut until the following fall.

When he took the field in 2022, Etienne quickly showed the acceleration and contact balance that made him a consensus college All-American. He took over primary rushing duties midway through his breakout year, finishing with 1,125 rushing yards at 5.1 yards per carry. His defining single-game highlight came during the AFC Wild Card Round, when his clutch 25-yard conversion on fourth-and-short set up the game-winning field goal to complete a historic 27-point comeback against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Etienne established himself as a durable dual-threat weapon across subsequent seasons, logging back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing campaigns in 2022 and 2023 while remaining a reliable target in the passing game. He tied for the team lead in total touchdowns in 2023 with 12 scores, demonstrating effective goal-line toughness alongside his signature perimeter speed.

After a bounce-back 2025 campaign in which he generated 1,399 scrimmage yards and 13 total touchdowns, Etienne concluded his initial contract in Jacksonville before signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2026.  In Jacksonville, he compiled 3,798 rushing yards, 25 rushing touchdowns, 168 catches for 1,338 receiving yards, and seven receiving touchdowns.