JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Joel from Mandarin

Great and Powerful O. I was just curious if you were in contact with Mr. Fred T during this offseason? How does Mr. Fred T feel about this season and what the Jaguars have accomplished during this offseason? Mr. Fred T is the greatest Jaguars running back and has well earned his place in the Pride of the Jaguars – and hopefully his Hall of Fame spot one day soon. Mr. Fred T mentored Maurice Jones-Drew and helped mold him into a great running back as well. Has Mr. Fred T ever considered becoming a part of the organization as maybe a consultant/coach for the running backs much like Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli is now a major part of the organization? I apologize if this has been asked in previous O-Zone Mailbags.

No reason to apologize. I haven't talked to former Jaguars running back Fred Taylor this offseason. There is no particular reason for this; we just haven't seen each other. I assume Taylor likes what he is seeing with the Jaguars from a relative distance – and not just because Taylor has great respect for Boselli, with whom he played from with the Jaguars from 1998-2001 and with whom he has a strong, long-standing relationship. I expect Taylor likes what he's seeing because he knows football and he therefore knows this regime of Boselli, Head Coach Liam Coen and General Manager James Gladstone is making a lot of solid football decisions for good reasons. As for your second question … I haven't talked to Taylor extensively about whether he someday hopes to have more of a football role with the Jaguars, but remember: Taylor has other interests that could preclude such a role. The podcast he co-hosts, The Pivot, is very successful and my sense is Taylor likes very much his life and career as it currently stands. As he should. He has earned his success – just as he earned the spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame that you and I both hope he one day attains.

Thomas from Charlottesville, VA

I was taught that people cannot be motivated, you can only appeal to their motivation! Surprisingly, money is not the top motivation for most professions. That said, what is your motivation to continue the streak? What do you think are Trevor's motivations?

Our dead-zone topics somehow have veered into what motivates the senior writer and the franchise quarterback, which means we are now – at long last – nearing the end of the dead zone. Mercifully. What is my motivation for continuing the daily streak of O-Zones, which began in 2011 and which now stands at 5,091 days? Professionalism? A sense of duty to Gary in St. Augustine? Spite? Habit? All play a role here, I suppose. I can also say that part of the reason the streak continues is that it has gone on long enough – through the passing of both of my parents, through the graduations and wedding of my son, other life events – that it seems silly at this point to stop it without a great reason. I have said before and increasingly believe that it will end far sooner than later. My motivation therefore remains to do as good a job as consistently as possible for as long as it's relatively enjoyable – and I also never forget that I am fortunate in this digital age to earn a living through the written word. Fewer and fewer people with whom I started in this business in the 1980s can say that. As for what motivates Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence? I would assume it's the same thing that motivates most great athletes: To be the best he can possibly be and be remembered as such. Or something like that.

Charles from Riverside

Hello, John. According to multiple media sources, "The City of Orlando has released new architectural renderings for a major renovation of Camping World Stadium, offering a first look at proposed upgrades designed to modernize the aging venue and boost its competitiveness for hosting major events." Supposedly, City Council will review the $400 million in renovations that would increase stadium capacity to at least 65,000 and introduce several modern amenities aimed at enhancing the fan experience. Sounds like Orlando is making a strong pitch to get the Jags for 2027?

Orlando has been a very good possibility to host Jaguars games in 2027 for a while now, and I expect that will continue to be the case.

Josh from Lakewood

What do you think of golf as a spectator sport? It's a fine pastime if you're into that sort of thing, and I appreciate the skill it must take to perform at the professional level. I just don't get the appeal of watching a sport without any real head-to-head competition or strategy.

I'm not going to spend much time or mental equity arguing the appeal or lack of appeal of golf as a spectator sport. This is because golf is not really my thing, which is true enough that I'm not sure I could pick any current top golfer other than Rory McIlroy out of a lineup. But I would absolutely consider golfers athletes and I absolutely consider it a spectator sport – even if I'm rarely, if ever, among those doing the spectating.

Uncharted Desert Isle from St. Augustine, FL

O, Since you are also a child of the 1970s, I was going to get your take on the Captains Lil' Buddy Gilligan, but it is now evident that the G-Man was actually a genius mastermind that allowed celebrities to come and go at will while simultaneously holding the Howells, Ginger, Mary Ann, and the Professor as his Island captives. So instead, due to the high demands of being the KOAF, do you practice the Carlton dance as part of your morning routine to psych up for the day?

Yes. Who doesn't?

Nicholas from Fort Hood, Texas

As the dead zone (dies or livens up?) how can you not say the book "Jags to Riches" is not the best sports book? On Amazon it's going for $187 for a hard copy.

It's easy to say Jags to Riches, the chronicle of the Jaguars' 1996 season written by a couple of well-meaning hacks trying to get out of each other's way for a couple of months early in 1997, isn't the best sports book. It tells a story. A good story. It's OK. And it sounds as if it's really overpriced on Amazon, particularly if it's not signed.

Howard from Homestead

There's only one curse this team needs to worry about: The curse of the Marino. They blew Dan out in his final game, and it has been downhill ever since. What can the Jags do to get back in Dan's favor so that the curse is lifted?

Dan Marino was one of the NFL's all-time great quarterbacks. Although I'm not a big list guy, I have no issue with lists that place him No. 1 of all time. But there is no Marino curse. Whatever has ailed the Jaguars in recent seasons, it's not that.

Tom from The Mean Streets of Nocatee

What week do you anticipate Head Coach Liam Coen passing former Head Coach Urban Meyer on the Jaguars' coaching wins list?

Sometime in the first five or six weeks of the season-ish.

Steven from Nocatee

Fun "Dead Zone" fact for the day: A chicken once lived for 18 months without a head. Mike the chicken's incredible feat was recorded back in the 1940s in the USA. He survived as his jugular vein and most of his brainstem were left mostly intact, ensuring just enough brain function remained for survival. In the majority of cases, a headless chicken dies in a matter of minutes.

One might think this phenomenon is limited to chickens. A quick perusal of past colleagues, co-workers and higher-ups suggests this might not be the case.

Gator from Gainesville

Over exposed! I wuz scared fer a secund you was going to tell the story bout me at the Skynard concert in 1986. I said it then and I sat it now.. they need more portrapotties at dem concerts!!!!

Here we go, Jaguars.

DuvalJag95 from J-ville

Are we there yet!!!

We keep looking into the future with great anticipation to Jaguars 2025 Training Camp. Breathe deep and get ready to pat yourselves firmly on the back. The first practice of '25 camp at the Miller Electric Center – and the corresponding end of the '25 "dead zone" – now is but a week away. Seven. More. Days.

Matt from Jacksonville

After doing a massive amount of research in strength, flexibility, tendencies, football IQ, durability and overall stats of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, I've come to the conclusion that Lawrence – while a good quarterback – will hover around the Andy Dalton line for the next 10 years or so. Eventually the Andy Dalton line will be renamed as the Dalton/Lawrence line.

"Research."