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A team coming off 13 wins and an AFC South title, a coach (Liam Coen) and quarterback (Trevor Lawrence) who were finalists for Coach of the Year and MVP, respectively, and a high expectation level for 2026 have made the Jacksonville Jaguars semi-intriguing to the NFL’s broadcast partners.
At least for one year.
When the schedule was released on May 14, the Jaguars were assigned three prime-time games: Week 9 at the Baltimore Ravens (Thursday, Nov. 5 Amazon Prime), Week 14 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday, Dec. 14 ESPN) and Week 16 at the Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, Dec. 27, NBC). A potential fourth prime-time game is Week 17 against Washington; Commanders-Jaguars is one of four games eligible to be placed in the 8 p.m. window on Saturday, Jan. 2, on the Peacock streaming channel.
If the Jaguars end up with three prime-time games, it will be their most since 2023 and tied for second-most in franchise history (four apiece in 1999-2000).
“The primetime games were deserved; they earned them,” NFL Vice President of Broadcast Planning Mike North said during a media video call on May 15 when asked by the Times-Union about the Jaguars’ schedule. “You play your way into primetime. And their schedule is excellent when you think about (Philadelphia) and Baltimore and New England and Pittsburgh and obviously the division games in the AFC South, which always seems to come down to Week 18.”
The Jaguars have played 47 regular-season prime-time games in franchise history (22-25 record). From 2012-16 and 2018-21, the Jaguars played a single prime-time game, including five match-ups against the Tennessee Titans on NFL Network. The Jaguars had none in 2017.
Every 2025 playoff team was given at least three prime-time games, led by seven for the Los Angeles Rams (including their international game in Australia to open the season). The Jaguars, Denver Broncos, CaSatudayrolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers had the fewest (three) although the Broncos have national television windows on Black Friday (3 p.m. at Pittsburgh) and Christmas Day (4:30 p.m. vs. the Buffalo Bills).
The cynical Jaguars fan, and there are understandably many of you after watching this franchise spin their wheels for much of the last 30 years, have pointed out flex scheduling and how those prime-time games can be taken away. Unlikely.
Amazon Prime has flexed only one game since it began its $1 billon-per-year deal in 2022, the same with ESPN on Monday night since it started to receive that option in 2023. Plus, the networks have always and will always love the Steelers and Cowboys in primetime regardless of their records.
“No hesitation whatsoever (by the league) and no hesitation whatsoever from our broadcast partners, frankly,” North said. “When every team had to get into primetime and it was, ‘Oh, we have to take Jacksonville,’ — no such thing anymore. No worries (about showcasing the Jaguars).”
North pointed out that last October’s Kansas City-Jaguars Monday night game drew 22.3 million viewers, up 40% compared to the Week 5 2025 Monday night New Orleans-Kansas City game.
In 2018, after the Jaguars made the AFC title game, they received only one prime-time game (Thursday night at Tennessee); a Sunday night home game against the Steelers was flexed out.
MORE FROM RYAN O'HALLORAN: J'Mari Taylor is long shot to make Jaguars. But he's beaten odds before
In 2023, after the Jaguars reached the divisional round, they received three prime-time games (none were flexed out).
Playing on Sunday night is notable because “Sunday Night Football,” has been primetime’s top-rated show for 15 consecutive years and averaged 23.5 million viewers in 2025. The Jaguars have played only twice on NBC since the network took over the Sunday night package in 2006.
“We looked at (potential) schedules where Jacksonville had more,” North said. “They could have easily could have been a two-NBC (or) two-ESPN team. It wouldn’t have been a shock to see them 4-5 times on prime-time schedule.”
Including their two London games that start at 9:30 a.m. Jacksonville time, the Jaguars will play five exclusive-window games.
Besides the prime-time games, the other Jaguars-related talking point was finishing with only three home games in the final 10 weeks, a product of playing only six games in Jacksonville. The team moved home games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans to London (Weeks 5-6, Oct. 11 and 18).
North said the Jaguars, led by president Mark Lamping and executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli, requested a road game before and a bye week after their two-game trip to London to accommodate construction on EverBank Stadium.
“The team was pretty clear with us that four-week donut was a priority,” North said. “We didn’t lock it in, but we were certainly willing and it did fall that way so I hope it works out well for the work that needs to be done.”
The Jaguars have two home games (Cleveland and New England) in Weeks 1 and 3, but one home game in Weeks 4-11 (Week 8 vs. the Indianapolis Colts).
“If we did only one home game in the first four weeks, that’s one home, three road and then the four-week donut — that’s one game in Jacksonville in the first seven weeks and I’m not sure that’s right (for the Jaguars),” North said.
Let’s face it: Playing only six of 17 games in Jacksonville was going to produce a daunting schedule.
“If you put two home games in the first four weeks like we did, then you’re going to run into a stretch like we ended up with where they have only one home game over a seven-week stretch, but you’re not overloaded with road games down the stretch for a team that thinks they will be playoff relevant,” North said.
To North’s point, the Jaguars play two home games in the final five weeks.
“Nobody volunteers for three of their last four on the road or three of their last five — it happens,” North said. “Relative to home spacing, I think we landed in about the best (spot) we could have done.”
The NFL and Jaguars could have the same schedule discussions in 2027 when the team has the option of playing three “home” games abroad and the remaining home games to be played in Orlando.
Contact O’Halloran at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars 'earned' three prime-time games on 2026 NFL schedule
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At least for one year.
When the schedule was released on May 14, the Jaguars were assigned three prime-time games: Week 9 at the Baltimore Ravens (Thursday, Nov. 5 Amazon Prime), Week 14 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday, Dec. 14 ESPN) and Week 16 at the Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, Dec. 27, NBC). A potential fourth prime-time game is Week 17 against Washington; Commanders-Jaguars is one of four games eligible to be placed in the 8 p.m. window on Saturday, Jan. 2, on the Peacock streaming channel.
If the Jaguars end up with three prime-time games, it will be their most since 2023 and tied for second-most in franchise history (four apiece in 1999-2000).
“The primetime games were deserved; they earned them,” NFL Vice President of Broadcast Planning Mike North said during a media video call on May 15 when asked by the Times-Union about the Jaguars’ schedule. “You play your way into primetime. And their schedule is excellent when you think about (Philadelphia) and Baltimore and New England and Pittsburgh and obviously the division games in the AFC South, which always seems to come down to Week 18.”
The Jaguars have played 47 regular-season prime-time games in franchise history (22-25 record). From 2012-16 and 2018-21, the Jaguars played a single prime-time game, including five match-ups against the Tennessee Titans on NFL Network. The Jaguars had none in 2017.
Rare Sunday night appearance for Jaguars
Every 2025 playoff team was given at least three prime-time games, led by seven for the Los Angeles Rams (including their international game in Australia to open the season). The Jaguars, Denver Broncos, CaSatudayrolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers had the fewest (three) although the Broncos have national television windows on Black Friday (3 p.m. at Pittsburgh) and Christmas Day (4:30 p.m. vs. the Buffalo Bills).
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The cynical Jaguars fan, and there are understandably many of you after watching this franchise spin their wheels for much of the last 30 years, have pointed out flex scheduling and how those prime-time games can be taken away. Unlikely.
Amazon Prime has flexed only one game since it began its $1 billon-per-year deal in 2022, the same with ESPN on Monday night since it started to receive that option in 2023. Plus, the networks have always and will always love the Steelers and Cowboys in primetime regardless of their records.
“No hesitation whatsoever (by the league) and no hesitation whatsoever from our broadcast partners, frankly,” North said. “When every team had to get into primetime and it was, ‘Oh, we have to take Jacksonville,’ — no such thing anymore. No worries (about showcasing the Jaguars).”
North pointed out that last October’s Kansas City-Jaguars Monday night game drew 22.3 million viewers, up 40% compared to the Week 5 2025 Monday night New Orleans-Kansas City game.
In 2018, after the Jaguars made the AFC title game, they received only one prime-time game (Thursday night at Tennessee); a Sunday night home game against the Steelers was flexed out.
MORE FROM RYAN O'HALLORAN: J'Mari Taylor is long shot to make Jaguars. But he's beaten odds before
In 2023, after the Jaguars reached the divisional round, they received three prime-time games (none were flexed out).
Playing on Sunday night is notable because “Sunday Night Football,” has been primetime’s top-rated show for 15 consecutive years and averaged 23.5 million viewers in 2025. The Jaguars have played only twice on NBC since the network took over the Sunday night package in 2006.
“We looked at (potential) schedules where Jacksonville had more,” North said. “They could have easily could have been a two-NBC (or) two-ESPN team. It wouldn’t have been a shock to see them 4-5 times on prime-time schedule.”
Including their two London games that start at 9:30 a.m. Jacksonville time, the Jaguars will play five exclusive-window games.
Constructing six-game home schedule
Besides the prime-time games, the other Jaguars-related talking point was finishing with only three home games in the final 10 weeks, a product of playing only six games in Jacksonville. The team moved home games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans to London (Weeks 5-6, Oct. 11 and 18).
North said the Jaguars, led by president Mark Lamping and executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli, requested a road game before and a bye week after their two-game trip to London to accommodate construction on EverBank Stadium.
“The team was pretty clear with us that four-week donut was a priority,” North said. “We didn’t lock it in, but we were certainly willing and it did fall that way so I hope it works out well for the work that needs to be done.”
The Jaguars have two home games (Cleveland and New England) in Weeks 1 and 3, but one home game in Weeks 4-11 (Week 8 vs. the Indianapolis Colts).
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“If we did only one home game in the first four weeks, that’s one home, three road and then the four-week donut — that’s one game in Jacksonville in the first seven weeks and I’m not sure that’s right (for the Jaguars),” North said.
Let’s face it: Playing only six of 17 games in Jacksonville was going to produce a daunting schedule.
“If you put two home games in the first four weeks like we did, then you’re going to run into a stretch like we ended up with where they have only one home game over a seven-week stretch, but you’re not overloaded with road games down the stretch for a team that thinks they will be playoff relevant,” North said.
To North’s point, the Jaguars play two home games in the final five weeks.
“Nobody volunteers for three of their last four on the road or three of their last five — it happens,” North said. “Relative to home spacing, I think we landed in about the best (spot) we could have done.”
The NFL and Jaguars could have the same schedule discussions in 2027 when the team has the option of playing three “home” games abroad and the remaining home games to be played in Orlando.
Contact O’Halloran at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars 'earned' three prime-time games on 2026 NFL schedule
Continue reading...
