If you were watching CBS in the fall of 2014, you remember the drama. It was Survivor: San Juan del Sur, the second iteration of the "Blood vs. Water" format, and right in the middle of the chaos sat Jon Misch and Jaclyn Schultz. They weren't just another pair of contestants. They were the swing votes. For weeks, the entire game revolved around what "Jon and Jaclyn" wanted to do, making them one of the most polarizing and influential duos in the show’s lengthy history.
People loved to hate them. Or they just loved them. There wasn't much middle ground.
To understand why Jon and Jaclyn Survivor fans still debate their gameplay over a decade later, you have to look at the unique vacuum they operated in. They weren't strategic masterminds in the vein of a Tony Vlachos or a Parvati Shallow. Instead, they were a real-life couple navigating an incredibly stressful social experiment while being younger and, frankly, more telegenic than most of the people trying to vote them out. It created a fascinating friction.
The Power of the Middle
In Survivor, being the swing vote is a dangerous luxury. Jon and Jaclyn mastered it, though sometimes it felt like they were stumbling into power rather than seizing it.
During the post-merge phase of Season 29, the tribe was split between two warring factions: the alliance led by Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly, and the group centered around Jeremy Collins and Natalie Anderson. Jon and Jaclyn were the "mighty two." Because they were so open about their indecision, both sides had to court them constantly. This led to the famous "Bury the Hatchet" episode where Jon and Jaclyn basically decided the fate of the season based on who treated them with more respect at camp.
It was messy.
Honestly, it was some of the most "human" television the show has ever produced. While modern Survivor (the "New Era") is filled with "gamebots" who make moves based on mathematical probabilities, Jon and Jaclyn made moves based on vibes, slights, and their relationship. When Jon got too comfortable, Jaclyn was often the one pointing out the cracks in their alliance. She was frequently the more perceptive player, even if the edit at the time didn't always give her the credit she deserved.
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Breaking Down the Natalie Anderson Blindside
You can't talk about Jon and Jaclyn without talking about Natalie Anderson. Natalie is widely considered one of the greatest winners ever, and her path to the million dollars was paved with Jon Misch’s torch being snuffed.
Natalie played Jon perfectly. She convinced him she was a loyal soldier while she was actually mourning the "blindside" of her closest ally, Jeremy. Jon, perhaps blinded by his own success at finding Hidden Immunity Idols and winning challenges, didn't see the knife coming. When Natalie famously asked, "Jaclyn, did you vote for who I told you to vote for?" it wasn't just a great TV moment. It was the end of the Jon and Jaclyn era of dominance.
Jon went to the jury. Jaclyn fought her way to the Final Three.
It's a common misconception that Jaclyn was just "along for the ride." If you re-watch the season, you’ll notice that she was often the one smoothing over Jon's social blunders. She won a crucial Final Immunity Challenge when her back was against the wall. She held her own at the Final Tribal Council, even if the jury was ultimately more impressed by Natalie’s resume of "big moves."
Life After the Island
Most Survivor couples fizzle out. The "island romance" usually dies once the participants get a cheeseburger and a shower. But Jon and Jaclyn were already a committed couple before the show—they were Miss Michigan 2013 and a former Michigan State football player—and their bond only strengthened afterward.
They got married in 2015.
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But their story took a much more significant turn than just reality TV fame. They have been incredibly open about their struggles with infertility. Jaclyn was born with MRKH (Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser) syndrome, a condition where she was born without a uterus.
This became their new "Survivor" mission.
They spent years documenting their journey through IVF and surrogacy. It wasn't the polished, glossy version of life you see on Instagram. It was raw. They shared the heartbreak of failed attempts and the massive financial and emotional toll that infertility takes on a marriage. For many fans of Jon and Jaclyn Survivor was just a starting point; their real impact came from the advocacy work they did for the MRKH community.
In 2022, they finally welcomed their daughter, Manolo, via surrogate. Then, in a twist that felt like a miracle to their followers, they welcomed a second child recently. Their story transitioned from a game about backstabbing to a real-world narrative about resilience and medical advocacy.
Why Their Season Still Holds Up
Season 29 is often ranked in the middle-of-the-pack by fans, but it has aged like fine wine. Why? Because it’s one of the last seasons that felt truly "unpredictable" in a character-driven way.
- The Emotional Stakes: Seeing a couple argue on camera about strategy while starving is more compelling than watching people hunt for "Beware Advantages."
- The Evolution of Strategy: Jon and Jaclyn showed the flaw in the "swing vote" strategy—eventually, both sides will want to get rid of you because you're too dangerous.
- Real Consequences: Their fight in the middle of the game, where they literally stopped talking to each other, nearly cost them their entire alliance. It was uncomfortable, authentic, and hilarious.
Lessons for Future Players
If you're applying for Survivor today, you can actually learn a lot from the Misch-Schultz playbook. First, don't get complacent. Jon's biggest mistake was believing his own hype. He thought he was the protagonist of the season, which made him lose sight of the "side characters" like Natalie who were actually running the show.
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Second, listen to your partner. If Jaclyn told Jon something felt "off," he usually brushed it off. In Survivor, your gut is your most valuable tool. If your closest ally (and spouse!) is telling you that people are whispering, you need to listen.
The Legacy of Jon and Jaclyn
When people search for Jon and Jaclyn Survivor, they’re usually looking for one of two things: what happened to them after the show, or how they managed to control so much of San Juan del Sur.
The answer to the first is that they’ve built a beautiful life centered around family and advocacy. The answer to the second is that they were the right people at the right time. They weren't the "best" players in a technical sense, but they were the most influential. They forced everyone else to play around them, which is a rare feat for a couple in a game designed to tear relationships apart.
Today, Jon is a dentist. Jaclyn continues her work in public speaking and advocacy. They aren't chasing the reality TV spotlight anymore, which is probably why they're still so well-liked. They used their platform for something that actually matters.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Aspiring Players
- Study the "Swing Vote" trap: If you ever find yourself in the middle, remember that you are the primary target for the next round. Use the power while you have it, but secure a long-term landing spot immediately.
- Acknowledge the "Edit": Remember that Jaclyn’s strategic contributions were often overshadowed by Jon’s louder personality. When watching older seasons, look at who is actually making the observations that lead to the vote.
- Support MRKH Advocacy: If you were moved by their story, look into organizations like Beautiful You MRKH. Jon and Jaclyn have helped bring this rare condition into the mainstream conversation.
- Re-watch San Juan del Sur: If you only remember the "New Era" of the show, go back and watch Season 29. It’s a masterclass in how raw emotion can derail even the best-laid plans.
Jon and Jaclyn might not have won the million dollars, but in the world of Survivor, they won something much rarer: a lasting legacy and a family they fought harder for than any immunity idol.
Next Steps for Deep Diving into Survivor History
To truly appreciate the era Jon and Jaclyn played in, you should compare their gameplay to other "Blood vs. Water" pairs like Reed and Josh or even the Ciera Eastin/Laura Morett dynamic. Each pair handled the "target on your back" differently. You can find deep-dive interviews with the couple on the Survivor Specialists or Rob Has a Podcast archives, where they go into the "unaired" details of their strategy.
Watching their post-show interviews provides a lot of clarity on why they made the moves they did—moves that often looked confusing on TV but made perfect sense in the heat of the Nicaraguan sun.