Just hours before the NFL officially announces the schedule for the 2026 season, leaks about several games have emerged on social media. One of them confirms that the Jacksonville Jaguars will have the primetime treatment more than once.
Twitter user NerdingonNFL posted on social media that the Jags will have a primetime game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night in Week 14. It will be an away game for Jacksonville, which could arguably make it more meaningful.
Keep in mind that this is just a rumor at this point, but Nerdingon has a good track record of dropping leaks on social media. He revealed that the Jags would be playing the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans in London before the league announced the full slate of international games. With that out of the way, here's a breakdown of why this game will be huge.
The Jaguars will have a chance to confirm they're a contender vs. the Cowboys
The Cowboys kicked Mike McCarthy to the curb in 2025 and hired Brian Shottenheimer as the head coach. They still went 7-10, so a noticeable improvement will be expected next season. But regardless of how good or bad the Boys are, they're one of the most prominent teams, if not the most prominent, so they'll always get the spotlight. This will be good news for a Jacksonville team that is looking to prove that its 2025 wasn't a fluke but rather a sign of things to come.
Dallas still has quarterback Dak Prescott behind center, and the duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens could present a tough matchup. Having said that, the Jaguars have enough talent to come out of A&T Stadium with a win late in the season.
The Jags have built a secondary that can most definitely slow down defenses. With Greg Newsome bolting for the New York Giants, Travis Hunter will play cornerback full-time next season. He'll join a defensive backfield that includes the ascending Antonio Johnson, rookie safety Jalen Husky, and sophomore Caleb Ransaw, who's ready to make noise after sitting out the 2025 season with a leg injury.
But if the game turns into a shootout, Trevor Lawrence and his wide array of weapons should have no trouble keeping up with Dallas.
But whether it turns out to be a low-scoring game, the Jaguars must capitalize on the attention they'll get by playing "America's Team" under the lights of Sunday Night Football.
The Jaguars will seemingly be getting 3 primetimes next season
Aside from the Dallas game, the Jaguars will also play the Baltimore Ravens (Thursday Night) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday Night) in a primetime slot, according to the leaks. That's three games on national TV, and a welcome change after just getting on in 2025.
The issue is that it will all be hollow if the Jags cannot seize the opportunity. They were gifted three primetimes in 2023, and they couldn't take advantage of them, going 1-2 and failing to qualify for the postseason last year.
The good news is that head coach Liam Coen won't allow his team to get complacent after going 13-4 last year, and there won't be a better opportunity for Jacksonville to prove that it's a legitimate contender than taking care of the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.
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