Why the Jaguars Are Reportedly Protecting Steelers Game From London Series

What It Means

The Jaguars are set to have reduced capacity at EverBank Stadium this season as renovations take place, and the Jaguars have opted to host two home games in London this season as a way to take advantage of the construction timeline, saving the Jaguars from sending a home game from the new stadium to international waters.

Pittsburgh is one of eight home opponents on the Jaguars' schedule, and the Steelers have made plenty of sense as one of the Jaguars' protected options since the two home games were announced. The Steelers are a premier matchup and they have a long history with the Jaguars, making them arguably the Jaguars' biggest historic rival that is not an AFC South team.

As for how the Jaguars will opt to proect the other game, they have seven other options: the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts. Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, and the New England Patriots.

It would make some sense for the Jaguars to protect an AFC South home game due to how close the division race has been in recent years. The Jaguars could protect the Texans' game, since they are the best team they will face within the division, and be comfortable if they have to play either Indianapolis or Tennessee in London instead of Jacksonville.

"But I think we will be guided by protecting -- and we can protect two games -- that we will assess which of those games would be best received by our fans to be played here," Jaguars president Mark Lamping said in February when updating the state of the Jaguars' stadium renovations and playing two games in London in 2026.

"There is also good discussion and probably a better level of communication that we've had since I've been here in terms of what football thinks from a competitive standpoint. They may like a matchup at home against a certain opponent."

There are still plenty of questions about the Steelers as an opponent at this point, too. It remains to be seen if Aaron Rodgers will actually be their quarterback, while they will have a head coach not named Mike Tomlin for the first time since 2006.

The Jaguars last played the Steelers in Jacksonville in 2020 during the COVID-19 reduced capacity season. The Steelers defeated the Jaguars in their previous matchup in Jacksonville in 2018.

Jacksonville will also be looking for better results in London this season than the last few seasons have offered. The Jaguars are 1-2 in London over the last two seasons, including their most lopsided loss of 2025 vs. the Los Angeles Rams.