Jaguars Owner Shad Khan Comments on Lot J, Team's 1-3 Record and London

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jaguars owner Shad Khan isn't happy with his team's 1-3 start, but he has learned to not always believe what a start tells you about a team. Instead, he noted, it is about how a team finishes.

Three years ago, the Jaguars started 3-1 and had a home victory over Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the start of the season. But fast forward 12 weeks and the Jaguars were 5-11, last place in the AFC South and an unexplainable mess.

Now, the Jaguars are 1-3 at the quarter pole mark and are in the midst of a three-game losing streak. The Jaguars have allowed over 30 points per game in each of the losses, and things have looked bleak since a Week 1 upset victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

"Well I think, obviously, I'm very disappointed, I think, being 1-3 at this point. And yesterday, when you know, I was leaving Cincinnati, I was reflecting on that, and then it dawned on me that two years ago we were 3-1 at this point," Khan said Monday at Dream Finders Homes Flex Field at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville.

"And you put it in a perspective -- it's about life. It's not how you start. It's how you finish. So, we know what happened a couple of years ago. So three-quarters of the season is still left to go, and we have to find a way to win."

Khan spoke Monday as he, Jaguars president Mark Lamping and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced further visions for developments of Lot J, property near the Jaguars stadium that the team and city hope to renovate to serve as an economic boost to Jacksonville's downtown.

"The venture — a 50-50 partnership between the Jaguars and The Cordish Companies — is projected to provide an immediate boost to the local economy with more than $2 billion in direct and indirect salaries during the first 40 years, $100 million in economic output annually, and the creation of 2,300 construction jobs and 1,000+ permanent jobs, many of which will go to Jacksonville residents," a news release from the city stated.

"Additionally, more than 25% of the contracts will be awarded to companies affiliated with MWBE and Jacksonville Small and Emerging Business (JSEB) program during construction and throughout operations. "

Khan and the Jaguars have been involved in the movement to develop Lot J for the last several years. Following approval by the city council, the project is expected to be complete three years from the date vertical construction begins, the city said in a release.

"I think this is part of our commitment to the City of Jacksonville," Khan said during Monday's media conference.

"And, you know, I said this eight years ago-plus when I was introduced as owner of the Jaguars, I was going to look for every way to you know, make NFL football viable here. This is just one part of the strategy

Another big part of the strategy since Khan bought the team in 2012 has been to have the Jaguars play home games in London. The games in London serve as a revenue boost for the Jaguars, and the team had plans to play two home games overseas in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NFL to cancel all international games.

The Jaguars had played an annual home game in Wembley Stadium in London each year since 2013. This year would have been the first time any NFL team played two games in London in one season, and the Jaguars would have been the first team in NFL history to play two home games outside of the United States in the same regular season.

But 2020 was also set to be the last year of the Jaguars' deal with the NFL to play games in London. And on Monday, Khan said that as of today there is no new deal on the table to play future games in London.

"The deal we had with the NFL expired this year. So there's nothing on the table right now for one game or more," Khan said. "So I think that process might start and we'll see where we are. But at this point, there is nothing planned."

So, no new deal currently in place and no official plans. But would Khan be interested in pursuing a new deal?

"Well, I think I want to pursue whatever keeps, you know, football viable and important in Jacksonville," Khan said.

Monday marked the first time Khan has publically spoken about the team this season. The Jaguars lost 33-25 to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday to drop to 1-3. Jacksonville is next set to travel to play the 0-4 Houston Texans in Week 5.