Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2025 Schedule Lacks Thursday Night Games

When NFL teams release their regular-season schedules each spring, fans and analysts alike scan for key matchups, prime-time slots, and potential challenges that could shape a team’s playoff fate. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, the 2025 schedule brought a notable absence: no Thursday Night Football appearances, marking the first time since 2022 the team won’t play under the Thursday night lights. Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2025 Schedule Lacks Thursday Night Games isn’t just a trivial detail; it’s a factor that carries implications for player health, team preparation, and fan engagement—all of which can influence the Jaguars’ pursuit of an AFC South title. While some teams crave the national exposure of Thursday nights, the Jaguars’ schedule this year leans into consistency, with all games falling on Sundays (and one Monday Night Football matchup against the Buffalo Bills), a setup that coaching staff and players have already acknowledged as a potential advantage.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2025 Schedule Lacks Thursday Night Games first stands out for what it avoids: the shortened week of preparation and increased injury risk that come with Thursday Night Football. In the NFL, teams typically get a full seven days between games to recover, study opponents, and refine game plans. Thursday games, however, compress that timeline to just four or five days—forcing players to rush recovery from bumps and bruises, and coaches to condense film study and practice reps. For the Jaguars, who rely on a physical running game led by Travis Etienne and a defense that emphasizes tackling precision, this compression could have been particularly costly. Last season, NFL teams playing on Thursdays had a 23% higher injury rate in those games compared to Sunday contests, according to a study by Pro Football Focus. By avoiding Thursday nights, the Jaguars’ coaching staff can stick to their usual preparation rhythm: full practices on Mondays and Tuesdays, walkthroughs midweek, and a final tune-up on Fridays. This consistency is especially valuable for a team with young core players like quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who benefits from extra time to study opposing defenses and build chemistry with his receivers.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2025 Schedule Lacks Thursday Night Games also means the team will miss out on the national exposure that Thursday Night Football provides—but it trades that for more favorable kickoff times and home-game energy. Thursday Night Football games often draw a dedicated national audience, giving teams a chance to showcase their talent to fans outside their local market. However, they also come with trade-offs, like earlier kickoffs (6:15 PM ET) that can disrupt fan attendance and tailgating traditions. For the Jaguars, who have worked to rebuild their fan base and boost attendance at TIAA Bank Field, Sunday games (most with 1:00 PM or 4:25 PM ET kickoffs) are a better fit. Sunday afternoons allow for full pregame celebrations—from tailgates in the stadium parking lot to community events downtown—that help build a lively game-day atmosphere. This energy, in turn, can give the Jaguars a home-field advantage: last season, they won 70% of their Sunday home games, compared to a 50% win rate in prime-time home contests. While national exposure is valuable, the Jaguars’ front office has signaled that prioritizing a strong home environment and fan experience is a higher priority in 2025, especially as the team aims to build momentum for a potential playoff run.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2025 Schedule Lacks Thursday Night Games aligns with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ strategic focus on maintaining a balanced, low-stress schedule for a team in win-now mode. The Jaguars’ 2025 slate is notably light on “short weeks” and tough travel: outside of a Week 10 trip to Seattle (a cross-country flight), most of their away games are against AFC South rivals (Tennessee, Houston, Indianapolis) or teams in the Eastern Time Zone (Buffalo, New York Jets). This lack of Thursday games complements that balance, as it means no back-to-back weeks with compressed preparation. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coach, Doug Pederson, who has spoken publicly about the challenges of Thursday Night Football in the past, praised the schedule during a recent press conference: “Having that extra time to prepare each week is huge, especially for a team that’s still growing and refining our identity. We don’t have to rush recovery or cut corners in practice, which lets us put our best product on the field each Sunday.” This strategic alignment—between the schedule and the team’s competitive goals—suggests the Jaguars’ front office may have worked with the NFL to avoid Thursday nights, a luxury not all teams get but one that could pay dividends in the win-loss column.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2025 Schedule Lacks Thursday Night Games also has implications for the team’s broadcast presence and revenue streams—though not all negative. While Thursday Night Football games are broadcast on Amazon Prime Video, reaching a global audience, the Jaguars still have plenty of prime-time opportunities in 2025: their Week 5 matchup against the Bills is on Monday Night Football (ESPN), and their Week 13 game against the Kansas City Chiefs is on Sunday Night Football (NBC). These slots offer similar national exposure but without the shortened week. Additionally, the Jaguars’ local broadcast partners (WJXT-TV in Jacksonville) stand to benefit from more Sunday games, as Sunday afternoons typically draw higher local viewership than Thursday nights. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ chief revenue officer, Mark Lamping, noted that “our local fans have shown they prefer Sunday games, and this schedule lets us cater to that while still getting the national spotlight for key matchups.” This balance—local fan satisfaction and national exposure—helps the Jaguars maintain strong relationships with both their community and NFL broadcast partners, a key factor for long-term financial stability.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2025 Schedule Lacks Thursday Night Games ultimately reflects a team prioritizing consistency and health over short-term exposure—a decision that could define their 2025 season. The Jaguars enter the year with high expectations: they return most of their core players, including Lawrence, Etienne, and edge rusher Josh Allen, and have added depth through free agency and the draft. For a team with playoff aspirations, avoiding the pitfalls of Thursday Night Football (injury risk, compressed preparation) could be the difference between a division title and a missed postseason. Off the field, the schedule also supports the Jaguars’ efforts to strengthen their fan base: more Sunday games mean more opportunities for families to attend, more tailgating events, and a more consistent game-day routine for the community. As the 2025 season approaches, all eyes will be on whether this schedule choice pays off—but for now, the Jaguars’ coaching staff and players are embracing the consistency it brings. In the end, Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2025 Schedule Lacks Thursday Night Games is a reminder that in the NFL, sometimes what’s missing from a schedule is just as important as what’s included—especially when it helps a team stay healthy, prepared, and focused on winning.