Another edition of NFL football on Thanksgiving Day is upon us, featuring a three-game lineup that includes the Dallas Cowboys facing off against the New York Giants, the Detroit Lions taking on the Chicago Bears, and the Green Bay Packers battling the Miami Dolphins. However, as this traditional slate of games rolls out, one franchise remains conspicuously absent yet again—the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Since their inception nearly 30 years ago, the Jaguars have never had the opportunity to play on Thanksgiving. While teams like the Cowboys and Lions have become synonymous with Thanksgiving football, Jacksonville is the only current NFL team that has never been given the honor of playing on this iconic holiday. Despite their frequent appearances in London games, the league seems to have little interest in including the Jaguars in its Thanksgiving tradition. But why has this trend continued for nearly three decades? Let’s break down the factors that have kept the Jaguars from ever taking the field on Thanksgiving.
1. Market Size
One major factor contributing to the Jaguars’ absence from the Thanksgiving schedule is market size. Jacksonville is one of the smallest NFL markets, significantly smaller than the cities typically featured in the league’s Thanksgiving lineup. This year’s slate includes teams from major cities like Dallas, Chicago, New York, and Miami. The Packers, although based in the small city of Green Bay, are also featured, largely because of their storied history and massive national following.
Jacksonville, on the other hand, is the fourth-smallest city with an NFL team, ranking just ahead of New Orleans, Buffalo, and Green Bay. This smaller market translates to a smaller fanbase, especially compared to the teams that usually get the Thanksgiving spotlight. The NFL is motivated to schedule games that attract large TV audiences and generate significant interest, and Jacksonville’s market size simply doesn’t provide the same level of national attention as others.
2. Lack of Success
Another key reason why the Jaguars have not been featured on Thanksgiving is their lack of sustained success. Since joining the league in 1995, Jacksonville has an overall record of 200-278 and has never won a Super Bowl or even appeared in one. While the franchise had some early success, making the AFC Championship Game twice in its first five seasons, those high points have been few and far between. In the last 24 years, the Jaguars have made the playoffs just four times, and they’ve had more seasons with three or fewer wins than they’ve had with ten or more wins.
This lack of on-field success has not helped Jacksonville’s case for a coveted Thanksgiving spot. The NFL tends to feature teams that not only have a wide fanbase but also have a history of competitive play. Teams like the Packers, Cowboys, and Bears all have strong traditions of winning, or at least being competitive, and even smaller-market teams like Buffalo have enjoyed more recent success, making them more appealing for prime-time or special event games.
3. Geographic Disconnection
Another reason why Jacksonville has never been featured on Thanksgiving is its geographic location. The traditional Thanksgiving teams—Dallas, Detroit, Green Bay, and Chicago—are all positioned in the Midwest or nearby, and Dallas has long been a Thanksgiving mainstay due to its historical connection to the holiday. Jacksonville, located in North Florida, does not have any direct geographic or historical connection to the teams that are often featured on Thanksgiving.
Most of the games on Thanksgiving have either historical significance or are rivalry matchups. Jacksonville, unfortunately, has no major rivalry with the usual Thanksgiving teams like the Cowboys or Lions, nor do they have any conference or divisional ties that would naturally fit them into the holiday lineup. The absence of any established rivalry or regional connection makes it challenging for the league to justify featuring Jacksonville in a marquee Thanksgiving game.
4. Youth of the Franchise
Compared to the other teams that often feature on Thanksgiving, the Jacksonville Jaguars are still a relatively new franchise. Many of the Thanksgiving traditions were established long before the Jaguars joined the league in 1995. The Detroit Lions have played on Thanksgiving since 1934, while the Dallas Cowboys began their Thanksgiving tradition in 1966, excluding a couple of seasons in the 1970s. These teams started playing on Thanksgiving as a way to raise brand awareness and grow their fanbases, and it worked exceptionally well.
Because the Thanksgiving tradition was already well-established by the time Jacksonville entered the league, it has been difficult for the Jaguars to break into this exclusive group. The longevity and historical connection of teams like Dallas and Detroit to Thanksgiving are deeply ingrained in the league’s culture, making it challenging for a newer franchise to be included.
Conclusion
While the Jacksonville Jaguars have yet to play a game on Thanksgiving, the reasons behind this exclusion are complex. Their small market size, lack of sustained success, geographic disconnection from the traditional Thanksgiving teams, and the relative youth of the franchise have all played a role in keeping Jacksonville out of the holiday lineup. As the Jaguars continue to build their brand and improve on the field, perhaps one day they will earn their place on one of the biggest stages in the NFL.
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Until then, the Jaguars will have to continue to wait, watching as other teams take center stage on Thanksgiving. With promising young talent and a fanbase eager to see them succeed, perhaps it’s only a matter of time before the tides turn, and Jacksonville finally gets its chance to shine on Turkey Day.
