![Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) looks to congratulate other Buffalo Bills players after the game of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_6000,h_3375/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/55/01krmmpk81xrsea5c74h.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) looks to congratulate other Buffalo Bills players after the game of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
When the Jacksonville Jaguars dropped their schedule for 2026, Trevor Lawrence got the spotlight because he seemingly got a haircut during the reveal. We'll soon find out whether No. 16 did get a new look or not, but there's another thing that stood out in the announcement that's flying under the radar.
The Jags have a couple of gauntlets throughout the year, but also have a handful of favorable matchups and three primetime appearances. When you add it all up, Lawrence is poised to make a strong push for MVP honors next season.
The Jaguars schedule gives Trevor Lawrence to boost his MVP candidacy
The Jaguars will face several playoff teams and deal with two separate stretches of road games throughout the year. Having said that, there isn't a single game on their schedule that you can say is truly unwinnable. They'll have a chance week in and week out because of Trevor Lawrence.
Granted, Jacksonville will need the Lawrence who went on to play like a top-10 quarterback to finish in 2025. The good news is that all signs point to the Jags getting that version of Steezy Trev.
This doesn't mean that Jacksonville will go 17-0. Several teams, including the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots in Weeks 2 and 3, respectively, will take things to the wire. Then again, that's a good thing because Lawrence will get a chance to go toe-to-toe with some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Trevor Lawrence will face competition from Drak Prescott, Drake Maye, Lamar Jackson, and others
The Jags will face off against Bo Nix and MVP runner-up Drake Maye in Weeks 2 and 3, respectively. While the Jacksonville defense will need to come up clutch, Lawrence will need to put the team on his shoulders.
Heck, Lawrence won't take the field at the same time as either Maye or Nix, but if they'll be compared either way. You can even bet that analysts will blast Lawrence and talk about how his strong finish to 2025 was a fluke if he comes up short.
On the other hand, Lawrence will get a prime opportunity to build his MVP candidacy. If he helps Jacksonville beat Denver and the Pats, he'll quickly become an early candidate for the award. But wait, there's more.
Later in the season, the Jaguars will face off against the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys. Both games will be in primetime. They will feature top-5 quarterbacks, Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott, respectively, so Lawrence will be compared to them on virtually every play, and his performance will be scrutinized. Conversely, he can leave no doubt that he's a legitimate MVP candidate.
Keep in mind that there are factors beyond Lawrence's control that may prevent him from winning MVP honors. After all, he isn't the only quarterback vying for the prestigious award. Maye, Nox, Jackson, and Prescott will also be in contention. The same is true for the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen, and maybe even Patrick Mahomes if he makes a successful recovery from an ACL injury.
The truth is that winning the MVP award is no walk in the park (you can ask Drew Brees), but if Trevor Lawrence plays as well as he did in 2025 and helps the Jaguars make a playoff push, his odds will skyrocket.
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