No matter what move an NFL franchise makes, it is important to consider the thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of the players. Those 53 men are the ones who will themselves through 60-minute games at a minimum of 16 times a year, and they are ultimately the ones who make teams successful or not.
That is why when the Jacksonville Jaguars announced Tuesday an agreement to play two home games, in back-to-back weeks, in London in 2020, one of the most vocal reactions came from players throughout the league.
Some former Jaguars players, and even players who have never played for Jacksonville, largely had negative reactions to the news on Tuesday. And on Wednesday evening, another former Jaguars player who played a few games overseas weighed in with his wholistic thoughts on London, the Jaguars, and the future of the team.
Former Jaguars and Buffalo Bills defensive end Ryan Davis spent nearly four seasons with the Jaguars, playing in 38 games, a majority of those for the Gus Bradley-coached teams. Davis played in two London games: against the Dallas Cowboys in 2014 and against the Bills in 2015. He knows just what it is like to have to travel overseas to play in the game.
"i dont quite understand it...and from a players perspective the excitement of playing in london wears off after that game....and this might sound crazy but i know they gone be pissed about how much theyre gonna get taxed for being out there for bout 10-12 days," Davis said on Twitter when someone asked for his thoughts on the game.
When it comes to being taxed, Davis is referring to the taxes Great Britain imposes on visiting athletes. These taxes can be prorated based on how much time an athlete spends in the area, so a second home game, as opposed to just the singular game, is likely to impact the wallets of players to some extent.
"BIG TIME!!!" Davis tweeted when someone pointed out how much of a benefit it is to have zero income taxes in Florida, as opposed to how the taxes overseas work.
"everytime theres a glimmer of hope they do something that makes u question what direction this franchise is goin..i like Shad [Khan] and if this is part of the master plan to make the jags game day experience better down the line then ok...but the city is gettin impatient," Davis continued.
Davis is one of the few who knows what it is like to travel to London to play one game each year. He, of course, has never done it twice, so he can't speak to that experience. But opinions like his are worth monitoring when it comes to playing more games overseas.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan said Tuesday the move to play two home games in London in 2020 is a one-year arrangement for now and is largely done to sustain the team's revenue and keep them stabilized in Jacksonville as the city and team work on developments in the city.
Well, I think, right now, this is about two games this season and, again, I think you have to Im a big believer you judge by actions and not just by words," Khan said Tuesday. "I mean, weve talked about possibly playing two games. But you know, were not the sole judge here or the decision-maker. I think it has to make sense for the league which they ultimately decide. But I mean right now, this is just about two games this season.
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