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Another edition of NFL football on Thanksgiving Day is upon us. We’ll see a three-game lineup consisting of Cowboys-Giants, Lions-Bears, and Packers-Dolphins.
When the slate was initially announced, it continued a trend that’s lasted three decades for one oft-snubbed franchise. They’ve never gotten the opportunity to play on the holiday!
That team is the Jacksonville Jaguars. In nearly 30 seasons of existence, they’re the lone squad to be left out. Yes, they’ve been a frequent flyer for games in London, but the league seemingly refuses to schedule the Jags for Thanksgiving Day… Why is that?
A number of factors seem to have played into the decision over the years. Here, we’ll break those factors down with Jacksonville yet again being snubbed.
1. Market
Jacksonville is a smaller market than most. It’s considerably smaller than what you’d see on a typical NFL Thanksgiving slate. Look no further than this season.
Major cities Dallas, Chicago, New York, Miami, and Detroit are represented. The Packers, meanwhile, are one of the league’s most historic brands (more on that later).
Jacksonville is the fourth-smallest city in the NFL, besting just New Orleans, Buffalo, and Green Bay. That’s led to a much smaller fanbase size when compared to others in pro football.
The Jaguars just don’t attract the national attention! Of course, city size isn’t the only thing that’s played a part in that lack of support…
2. Success
Or a lack thereof… Since entering the league in 1995, the Jags have posted an overall record of 200-278. They’ve never won a Super Bowl. In fact, they’ve never reached a Super Bowl.
Twice in their first five seasons, they made the AFC Title Game. It’s been mostly mediocrity since! Over the last 24 years, they’ve made the postseason just four times. They’ve had more campaigns with three wins or less than they have with 10 wins or more. Simply put, they’ve been an NFL doormat for majority of their existence.
Others with smaller markets have benefitted from their team’s strong play on the field. That’s not been the case for the Jaguars. The double whammy has made the league hesitant to put Jacksonville on the national stage.
3. Geography
Jacksonville plays in North Florida, far from the typical teams you’ll see on the NFL Thanksgiving schedule. Dallas is a mainstay, about 1,000 miles away.
Green Bay, Chicago, and Detroit, meanwhile, are each positioned in the Midwest. Those four squads make up the majority of the holiday appearances. The Jaguars have nothing connecting them to the repeat Turkey Day competitors. There are no rivalries. No conference affiliation. There’s little reason to see Jacksonville face off against the Cowboys, Lions, Bears, or Packers.
This year’s slate is all about rivalries with the exception of Miami and Green Bay. In that instance, however, you can look back on reasons No. 1 and 2 as to the Dolphins’ inclusion.
4. Age
Jacksonville is still a relatively new franchise. Considering that many of these Thanksgiving Day traditions were developed far before the Jaguars’ inception, it’s easy to see why they’d be put on the backburner.
Detroit was the first team to play on the holiday, something they’ve done a total of 84 times. Dallas has played annually on Thanksgiving since 1966, excluding the 1975 and 1977 seasons.
Both decided to start the tradition as a way to raise brand awareness and grow the fanbase. It’s worked!
With those two teams filling two of the three Thanksgiving slots each year, just four of the remaining 30 squads can vie for Turkey Day inclusion. To this point, Jacksonville remains the lone snub! Given each of these factors that go into the NFL’s selection process, it could stay that way for the foreseeable future.