John Oehser

JACKSONVILLEHis goals remain lofty, and his desire remains great.

That's true forJosh Hines-Alleneven as he enters his seventh NFL season following an emotional offseason. Family outweighed football in recent months, which the veteran defensive end discussed at length following Day 4 ofJaguars 2025 Training CampSunday.

He also discussed objectives for the 2025 season. And numbers.

"Twenty-three,"he said, smiling.

That's the NFL record for sacks in a season, a goal in keeping with how Hines-Allen a, two-time Pro Bowl selection and the Jaguars' single-season sacks record-holder has approached seasons throughout his career.

"All pass rushers should strive for that goal like every team strives to win a Super Bowl," he said following a two-hour practice at the Miller Electric Center Sunday.

Being elite, and being a champion, indeed long have been foremost among Hines-Allen's preseason objectives. Those remain goals along with getting the 2.5 sacks needed to move past Tony Brackens' 55 into first place on the franchise's all-time career sacks list.

Allen, the No. 7 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, spoke to the media at length Sunday. And while he talked goals extensively, his major focus was a recent announcement from he and his wife, Kaitlyn, that their son, Wesley, is recovering from cancer.

Wesley, 7, was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia after he developed a fever and began bleeding from a tooth a few days before the Jaguars' 2024 regular-season finale in January.

Hines-Allen on Sunday also discussed support received from coaches and teammates since learning of the diagnosis. He missed the Jaguars' Week 18 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts, and he said the support from that season's coaching staff through this season's as well as from teammates and the entire organization has been constant, important and "super cool."

"They text me dang near every day, especially during the offseason: 'How's Wesley?''' Hines-Allen said. "Not even 'Josh, how are you doing? How's your mental?' It's 'How's Wesley?' They message family first at all times and they really truly mean it. The last staff, they did as well. When I told [Former Head Coach] Doug 'Pederson], they said, 'You're okay. Take your time.' Even coming in here, [the new staff], for them to embrace me as, 'How's Wesley? How's your family? How's your wife? How's your family doing?' Then it's, 'How's training?

"They really truly care, not just asking to ask, just asking to really see how I'm really feeling."

Hines-Allen and Kaitlyn also this past Friday announced that their nonprofit foundation,Four One For All, will launch a season-long campaign: "Four One For Hope," the objective of which is to support four cancer-focused non-profits each month of the regular season.

The four non-profits:

• Nemours Children's Hospital (September)
• American Cancer Society (October)
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville (November)
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (December)

Hines-Allen said his hope is to send a message "that a lot of people go through it."

"A lot of people that you may not know in your daily life has had some type of cancer at a young age or probably getting it now," he said. "You can always be there to support them, care for them, give them love because I think that's really the main focus on people going through that. They have people that can help support them and give them love.

"My foundation is just to show support. We're contributing to four different organizations throughout the year, so each month is going to be different. I'm excited about that journey and this first month is Nemours and then we'll start adding on when the season goes on."

QUOTABLE

• Hines-Allen on Jaguars nose tackle DaVon Hamilton:"He's the best nose in the game. D-Ham is the best defensive nose, tackle, whatever you want to identify him, in the NFL right now, and he's showing it and proving it every single day. When you can have that, you know you have that confidence that they're not going to run the ball right here, not everybody else has to pick their level up. Again,DaVon Hamiltonis the best nose in the game, and he's going to prove it. I can't wait to be out there to support him after every play he makes."