JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Wes from Ponte Vedra, FL
Six games in Jacksonville over the next 31 months. What a momentum-killer for the local enthusiasm surrounding the team. No question. Just needed to vent some frustrations.
Jaguars President Mark Lamping spoke to the media Wednesday morning regarding the Stadium of the Future and other related matters, with a primary topic being that the Jaguars will play eight games in Jacksonville in 2026 – six in the regular season and two in the preseason. Because the Jaguars will not play in Jacksonville in 2027 – an absence made necessary because of renovations to what is now EverBank Stadium – that means the Jaguars indeed will play just six regular-season games in Jacksonville between the end of the 2025 season and the scheduled opening of the Stadium of the Future for the start of the 2028 regular season. I understand the frustration, though the thought here is that frustration shouldn't be tinged with anger. The stadium had to be renovated significantly and a significant renovation was going to require at least one season away from Jacksonville. The Jaguars' original plan called for two seasons away, with the Jaguars altering that plan after feedback from fans and local business. The result is they will play the '26 season at far less than full capacity before playing '27 home games away. That season away, while not ideal, was the best that could be done in this vein. It's unfortunate. It's frustrating. But it was an unavoidable sacrifice for the team to remain in Jacksonville – and for the fans and the team to have an up-to-date stadium for the foreseeable future.
Tom from Jacksonville
Didn't hear any of the press ask Mr. Lamping if the Jaguars becoming AFC champions in 2026, creating up to three home playoff games, would affect construction schedule. Please say it wouldn't.
You didn't hear the media ask this Wednesday morning because it wasn't asked. Of course the construction schedule would be affected if the Jaguars have three home playoff games following the 2026 season. That's three additional weeks of work not happening in the stadium when work could be happening inside the stadium. I expect what would happen in that scenario is what typically happens when there are unforeseen delays on huge projects. Planners and workers adapt. They work overtime. Manpower is shifted and projects get done. Somehow. It's not as simple as all that, of course, but I expect the stadium will open in time for the 2028 regular season whatever the Jaguars' 2026 postseason scenario.
Philip from Jacksonville Beach, FL
Gary from St. Augustine is a little annoying, but after a while you start to see his point.
True.
Isaac from Jacksonville
Why two games in London in the last season at the 'Bank? Why they do us like that?
The Jaguars indeed will play two games in London in 2026, with both being "home" games through the eyes of the NFL. One will be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the other will be at Wembley Stadium, with the Wembley game being the Jaguars' "annual game" in London. The game at Spurs is part of an NFL rule that all teams must play internationally at least once every four seasons – a rule separate from the Jaguars' annual London home game. The Jaguars are scheduled in that rotation in 2027 and were scheduled again in 2030. The league and the Jaguars agreed to move the "rotation" game at Hotspur from 2030 to 2026, enabling the Jaguars to have another home game in the renovated Stadium of the Future in 2030. No one therefore really "did the Jaguars like" anything. The franchise chose to have an extra full-capacity game as opposed to a less-than-full-capacity game.
Michael from Orange Park, FL
Where are we playing in '27? Why are they delaying this?
It seems you're referencing Lamping's media availability, and it also seems you weren't paying close attention. That's fine. This wonderful life I lead is built on not paying particularly close attention to much of anything. The Jaguars will know – and will announce – where they will play home games in 2028 at the end of March when NFL owners vote on the issue at NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. They won't announce before then because there's nothing to announce before then. The choices at this point are essentially Camping World Stadium in Orlando and Florida Field in Gainesville. We'll know soon enough.
Chris from Jacksonville
Why aren't we talking about the offensive line? They were better, but we didn't run the ball great and we had a lot of games where we gave up way too much pressure. James basically said we were standing pat. This is concerning.
I'm not sure exactly who is or isn't talking about the Jaguars' offensive line. I do know this isn't an area the Jaguars will ignore in this or any offseason under this new decision-making regime. Also: While General Manager James Gladstone during his end-of-season media availability did note that the Jaguars' entire offensive line remains under contract, he did not say that the Jaguars were "standing pat" in the area. The Jaguars addressed the line significantly last offseason, signing center Robert Hainsey and guard Patrick Mekari – and selecting center Jonah Monheim and guard Wyatt Milum in the 2025 NFL Draft. Those moves didn't necessarily overhaul the Jaguars' offensive line in one offseason and the line wasn't the most dominant group in the NFL. But the area improved and was stable. A foundation was established. The Jaguars may not be as active as they were last season, but I will be surprised if they don't at least address it somewhere relatively early in the draft. A good offensive line must be a constant focus and I expect that to be the Jaguars' approach.
Wayne from Jacksonville
Do you remember when we signed Laurent Robinson?
I do.
Taylor from Columbia, MD
"Just because a lot of NFL people believe something doesn't make it a good idea." Great answer, and exactly what many of us have been trying to say when it comes to analytics and field goals. The combine is almost certainly overrated, but so are analytics. I don't know that there is a math equation to quantify desire, momentum and the fact that football (unlike baseball) is dependent on 11 people working in cohesion. Getting off my soapbox now.
I don't know if analytics are underrated or overrated. I know that if a play works in the NFL it's a good play and if it doesn't, it's not. I also know fans tend to complain about the plays that don't work and forget the plays that do very quicky. Fans fan. It's what they do. The Jaguars play aggressively. It's what they do. It's what they did during a 13-4 season last season and it's what they will continue to do.
Woody from Dunlap
KOAF: During the "offseason" is quarterback Trevor Lawrence (or any player) allowed to call any of the coaches with ideas on new play variations that may have suddenly occurred to him, or do the league rules dictate no contact of any kind between players and coaches?
Players and coaches can speak between the end of the season and start of the offseason program. They may not discuss football during this time.
Janarus from Jacksonville via Orlando
How fascinating it must have been to have played your entire football career with at least one other player! Jacksonville Jaguars receivers coach Edgar Bennett (running back) and LeRoy Butler (safety) played together from high school at Robert E. Lee (now Riverside HS), to college at Florida State, then onto the NFL with the Green Bay Packers, with the end of their careers culminating in a Super Bowl XXXI victory against the New England Patriots! Can you recall any moments such as that?
There's a lot of truth here – and a little misremembering. Bennett and Butler indeed played together at Lee/Riverside under legendary Head Coach Corky Rogers, then played together at Florida State under legendary Head Coach Bobby Bowden. Butler, a Pro Football Hall of Fame safety, was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1990 NFL Draft. Bennett, a running back, was selected by the Packers in the fourth round of the '92 draft. Their careers didn't end together, though – and they didn't end when the Packers beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl following the 1996 season. Butler played his entire career with the Packers, retiring following the 2001 season. Bennett spent five seasons with the Packers, then played the 1998-1999 seasons with the Chicago Bears before retiring. Either way, I don't recall many – if any – players that good playing with the same team and being teammates quite so long. I expect something like it has happened. But not often.
Nathan from South Florida
Do sometimes you just want to move your feet, put your hands together in the air and dance, dance, dance?
You have no idea.
