JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Jim from Jagsonville
Orlando? It's one year, and it makes the most sense ... I hate it! #DTWD. Moodachay! DUUUVALL!!
The Jaguars indeed will play their 2027 domestic home games at Camping World Stadium, with the NFL owners approving the site Tuesday and the Jaguas' announcement on the matter reading as follows: "NFL team owners on Tuesday unanimously approved terms of a temporary, one-year stadium lease between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Florida Citrus Sports for the Jaguars to use Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, during the 2027 season. The measure was approved during the league 2026 Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. Camping World Stadium will accordingly be designated as the Jaguars' home stadium in 2027, when the team will be displaced due to renovation of EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville." I don't expect fans to love the news because it means playing a season away from Jacksonville. It's a necessary inconvenience, but such is the price of progress. We'll get into readers' feelings – and a few thoughts on the matter – later in this O-Zone and in the coming days, but that's it. It's official now.
Wes from Ponte Vedra, FL
John, what are your first thoughts on Orlando now that it's official? Although I don't think there were realistically any better alternative cities, I am a little nervous about playing in what is more of a "destination" city for opposing fan bases to travel to. I think that there could potentially be virtually no homefield advantage. Of course that is partly dependent on who the opponents are. Besides the opponents that are set based on 2026 divisional standings, do we know what divisions (and specifically which teams) will be coming to Orlando in 2027?
I don't know that I have any earthshattering, mind-changing thoughts on this. The Jaguars can't play home games in Jacksonville in 2027, so they needed to find the most-reasonable alternative and that became Orlando. It won't be ideal, but ideal wasn't possible. And time will tell the extent of the Jaguars' homefield advantage that season. The Jaguars' "home opponents" in 2027: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, AFC West and NFC West.
Bradford from Orange Park, FL
I'm a Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone guy. Full stop. I do think, however, that it was a misstep on his part to pound the rhetoric drum about wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter playing two ways full-time. I don't have a problem with selecting him No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. If Hunter is as good as what I feel like he has shown he can be in the secondary, is as electric as he is with the ball in his hands mixed in on offense - and iv he can stay healthy ... so what if you had to forfeit the draft capital you gave up to ensure you got him? But now that he's touted that premise, it's like it put that as the marker for the pick to have been worth it. And no player before Hunter had ever been capable to play full-time both ways. That was just never a realistic expectation. And he was never going to do that no matter where he was drafted. I think he just knew it was a huge move to make, and he got a bit ahead of himself when attempting to "justify it." The kid never had to do something that's never been done to be a guy worth doing what it took to make sure he wasn't suiting up for a different team. And it's easy for me to say all this after the fact. I'm not killing him for it. I just think - to your point - the best way for Hunter to be evaluated is "How much does he help your team win football games?"
Fair.
Yetidaddy from Nowhere and Yet Somewhere
O, the Jaguars have talked a lot about building "sustainability" and becoming a consistent contender – not just flashing potential. From your perspective around the building, what's the biggest difference in how this current regime operates compared to past ones that couldn't sustain success?
This regime from this perspective usually does the right thing for the right reason and everything is about putting football first. All NFL regimes say they do this and most regimes try to do this. But in the NFL, as in most ventures, wanting to do things is a different thing than doing them right. They also appear to have a chance to get quality quarterback play for the foreseeable future. That helps a lot – and it might be as or more important than doing things right for the right reason.
Timothy from Jacksonville
Ugh … Orlando of places. Really? That's the best they could do?
NFL teams seeking a temporary home have limited options. Stadiums and cities must meet certain requirements and standards, and a team's choice must be approved by NFL owners. That the Jaguars and Jacksonville found a standard-meeting partner a mere two hours away should be seen as a positive and not an "ugh."
Lane from Winter Garden, FL
Zone. It really grinds my gears when people say we traded away two first-round picks to draft Hunter. We traded picks with Cleveland last year to move up to No. 2 plus traded a first round pick in this year's draft. If you're going to say that we traded away two first-round picks, you then have to say that we received Cleveland's first round pick in 2025. Rant over, thank you. Now for my question: What up?
Not much.
Bradford from Orange Park, FL
I got a different perspective from your response about NFL referees not being perilously underachieving simply from not being full-time. Though, I originally just had more felt it was just the NFL trying to keep a bigger slice of the pie as the reason they didn't employ them full-time, whereas the other three major sports in the U.S. choose to do with their officials ... and that could keep the officials from at least minimally supplementing their already know-how. Do you think the there is any danger of the existing referees being terminally out and the replacement referees actually replacing them, if this dispute drags into the regular season? Or, is it just a matter of them understanding the NFL has the bigger stick in these negotiations and that the sooner they accept that, the sooner they'll be back in their positions? Because May 31 seems like a long way away to not close the gap on what's been reported as the things they're not in agreement on. So, to already be putting wheels in motion in the replacements, kind of smacks of "we ain't worried about it".
This references an ongoing labor dispute between the NFL and the NFL Referees' Association, a dispute that could lead to replacement officials being used in the 2026 regular season. I doubt the labor dispute would lead to all current officials being out permanently and all projected replacement officials becoming permanent. The current officials are presumably the best at what they do, which means they shouldn't – and presumably won't – simply kneel before the NFL's big stick and do whatever the stick-wielder commands. The NFL is moving quickly to arrange possible replacements because it waited too long the last time negotiations between the sides led to replacement officials. This was in 2012, when replacement officials led some rough situation. Moving more quickly this time certainly sends the message to the officials that the league is more prepared – and sending clear, bold messages to this effect certainly is fair in negotiations.
Tony from Johns Creek, GA
O, I hope one day the Jags will be able to host the NFL draft. On Jaguars Owner Shad Khan's yacht. Include free hot dogs and open bar. Entertain with a longest drive contest, T-shirt cannon duels and mascot dunking booth. It would be epic!
OK.
Tom from Charlottesville, VA
The news this week from the NFL owners meeting is that they do not want the Jaguars to play on inferior fields next year. They are planning for the Jags to play all their home games in London on consecutive weeks in the second half of the season. The first half of the season they will play all their away games while being able to practice in Jacksonville. This will allow Mr. Khan to recoup 25% of the cost of the new stadium! (LOL) April Fools.
A great man once said something to the effect of, "The thing about April Fools' stories is this: Left to the wrong writer they are heavy-handed, not particularly entertaining and grossly misleading without benefit – and often a combination of all three." We should listen to great men.
Chip from Jacksonville
O, Going to the most special place on earth before a Jaguars game in Orlando? Hope we see your Mickey Ears, Mr. O.
They have Mickey Ears at the bar?
