The Jaguars’ temporary move to Orlando could open the door to something the city has never had: a regular season NFL game that actually counts.
For years, Orlando football allegiances have largely split along generational lines. Gen Xers and Boomers in the area, according to my research, tend to back the Miami Dolphins.
Millennials and Gen Zers have leaned toward the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Jaguars?
They’ve been the overlooked option, tucked away in the background while the state’s other teams soaked up the attention.
That could change in 2027.
Jacksonville’s $1.5 billion renovation of EverBank Stadium is underway, and the project will force the Jaguars into Camping World Stadium for their home games that season. The team will already have limited home capacity for its six home games in 2026, and it will also play two “home” games in London. Orlando, meanwhile, has never hosted a regular season NFL game, despite staging preseason games and Pro Bowls.
For Jaguars fans in Central Florida, that creates a rare opening. The team is close enough to make the trip manageable - 142 miles from Camping World Stadium to EverBank Stadium, or just over a two-hour drive. The idea is simple: if Orlando can show up for the Jaguars while they’re in town, maybe that fandom sticks around.
The timing also carries a bigger possibility. If the Jaguars were to make a run to the Super Bowl in 2027, Orlando would suddenly be tied to a franchise breakthrough in a way the city has never been before. Trevor Lawrence could even get to say, “I’m going to Disney World,” without having to go very far.
Still, the Jaguars are not coming to Orlando for good. The stadium renovation in Jacksonville is expected to keep them on the First Coast for three decades, the Dolphins are not moving to Central Florida, and the Buccaneers are working toward a stadium renovation deal that should keep them in the Bay area for decades as well. A fourth NFL team in Orlando does not look realistic.
So the message to Orlando fans is straightforward: enjoy the chance while it lasts, and don’t treat it like a one-season fling. The Jaguars will head back to Jacksonville in 2028, but the trip from Orlando to Northeast Florida is short enough to keep the connection alive.
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The Comeback Player of the Year race would not be an easy one, either, even for a player with Hunters rare profile. A strong season would still put him in a crowded field with other recognizable names, which is why the bigger test may be less about hype than about sustaining production in two roles and forcing voters to take notice of how unusual his season really is. [Read more 🡒]
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Jaguars Opener Will Show If Trevor Lawrence And This Hype Are Real
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Still, the first game should say plenty about how sturdy all of that hype really is. The Browns arrive with their own new coaching voice on defense and a quarterback situation that has been on hold since October 2024, but the bigger question for Jacksonville may be whether the offense can absorb its own uncertainty up front and in the backfield well enough to open the season looking like a team ready to take the next step. [Read more 🡒]