FEVER BUILDS: Support for Jaguars grows as game nears

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. –   Hundreds of fans turned out at 11 a.m. Saturday to cheer on the Jaguars as they left EverBank Field headed to New England.

Running back Leonard Fournette was among the players giving the fans some love before boarding the buses for the airport.

(We've been asked to remind you there's no public access to see the team at Jacksonville International Airport, either leaving or returning Sunday night.)

Possible Omen?

Light it up

All out for Jags

We've got spirit, yes we do

Fire chief fun

All lit up

It's all about the teal

Do not peek

Boxes of Jaguars AFC Conference Champs apparel arrived Friday at Academy Sports + Outdoors in Jacksonville and Brunswick, Georgia.

The boxes will remain unopened until Sunday's game is over.

The merchandise will be available to buy immediately after a Jaguars win. 


 

Students show spirit

St. Johns Country Day School students typically wear blue and white uniforms to school.

But the last two Fridays in a row, the students have been allowed to wear all things Jaguars for the day.

And they took advantage.

They students and staff showed off their outfits and excitement in a photo they shared with us.

Clay County supports Duuuvall!

One hot bet

The Boston and Jacksonville fire departments have a friendly wager over Sunday's AFC Championship game.

Boston Fire Department Commissioner Joseph E. Finn and Jacksonville Chief of Department Kurtis Wilson made the friendly bet.

The wager entails the losing team’s Fire Chief installing an officially licensed NFL smoke detector branded with the winning team’s logo in their office.

As part of the wager, The Buff Project, a New York City-based fire safety organization and distributor of officially licensed NFL Team Identified Smoke alarms, will donate 50 NFL licensed team-branded smoke detectors for each game throughout the playoffs to the fire departments to use in their fire safety outreach efforts.

FHP shows Jaguar Pride

Stepping up

Employees at NEP Solutions showed their Jaguars spirit Friday.

Their message to the team: We are with you every step of the way.

Cory Williams shared their group photo on our Community Content page.

How are you showing your team spirit this weekend?

RELATED: How much do you know about the Jaguars? Take our quiz

Don't lose momentum

The crew at Momentum Transportation had a message for their hometown team Friday: Keep the Momentum Going!

Employees wore their Jaguars gear to work and posed for a snapshot.

Laura Homsey posted the photo to our Community Content page.

PHOTOS: Did we spot your team spirit today?

City in the spirit

Bulldogs support Jaguars

The Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus was more teal and black than orange and blue Friday during the school’s Jaguars Spirit Day.

At the direction of Ponte Vedra Beach Campus Head Peggy Campbell-Rush, students and faculty convened in Ponte Vedra Hall after their flag ceremony for a group chant of “We are Jaguars,” and “Duuuvall.”

For a video showcasing the Jaguars spirit on all four Bolles campuses January 19, see this story on the Bolles website.

Love from Duuuvall

The Tom Trout sign along I-95 near Bowden Road has become famous around Jacksonville for its quippy offerings.

Their current sign, though, is all heart.

It reads: Go Jags. Duuuuval Loves you!

Doug Dye shared a photo of the sign on our Community Content page, saying: Tom Trout Inc. is in the Duuuuuval spirit for the AFC Championship game. Go Jags!

The Florida Blue tower in Riverside was lit up in teal and gold Friday night and will be for at least a week, according to a spokesperson.

If (and when) the Jaguars win the AFC Championship Sunday, the building will remain lit up in teal and gold until the Super Bowl.

Trash talk prompts bold promise

The CEO of Bono's Pit Bar-B-Q said Friday that he was making good on a promise when he bought lunch for everyone at the Southpoint location.

Joe Adeeb told News4Jax that he overheard some trash-talking Steelers fans in one of his restaurants last week and vowed that if the Jaguars won last Sunday, he would buy lunch for everyone at a different location every day this week.

The Jaguars outlasted Pittsburgh 45-42 to reach Sunday's AFC Championship game.

So Adeeb stuck to his word.

Patrons at the Bowden Road location cheered and clapped when Adeeb announced that lunch was on him Friday.

Several broke into spontaneous chants of “Duuuvall.”

Now if only some Patriots fans would get mouthy inside a Bono's before Sunday's game, there could be some more free food in it for Jaguars fans.

School black out

Students, faculty and staff at St. Johns Technical High School participated in a black out in support of the Jaguars upcoming game.

Support Teacher and Case Manager Chellsea Guyer shared the photo on our Community Content page.

Stein Mart gets in game

In a show of support for the hometown team, a 45-foot by 10-foot banner is hanging from the Stein Mart building in Jacksonville, and a smaller banner has been placed at every local store.

In addition, “Sacksonville”-based employees sported team colors at the office on Friday.

The company’s message on its social media platforms stressed that “while we love all our stores for the big game on Sunday, we’re supporting our Sacksonville!”

“With our company headquarters located in Jacksonville, Stein Mart wanted to get in the game, too, as the Jacksonville Jaguars take the field on Sunday,” said Glori Katz, Stein Mart’s senior vice president, marketing and advertising. “We appreciate that the Jaguars put our great city in the spotlight, and we wanted to share that excitement with our customers.”

Free food!

Now that got your attention.

The Morning Show is 4 the Jags

Feeding a football team

Ever wonder what it takes to feed a team full of hungry NFL players? 

We got the answer on The Morning Show today.

Click here to read the full story.

Don't miss a thing

Can't get enough Jaguars coverage? Want to stay on top of everything happening today? Look no further.

News4Jax has compiled a list of events you need to know about this afternoon. Just click here.

City officials told News4Jax that win or lose they will alert media and the public (via Twitter and email) about any plans for a post-game party in Jacksonville.

Frosty sign

One fan was so excited about Sunday's AFC Championship game that he took the opportunity to write Go Jags in the frost on his car Friday.

THEPAPPSTER shared a photo of the fun display on our Community Content page.

Interview with Jaguars president

One of the most asked questions about Sunday's AFC Championship game has been if there would be some type of celebration to welcome the Jaguars home.

For now, Jaguars president Mark Lamping told The Morning Show, the team doesn't want to take anything for granted and plan ahead for a post-game celebration.

For more from his interview, click here.

Fans invade New England

Even though the AFC Championship game is two days away, Jacksonville Jaguars fans are already invading New England.

Multiple flights out of airports from Savannah to Orlando were packed with people who want to see the River City make history this weekend.

For more on what our crews saw while heading north, click here.

Anchors in the spirit

Dressed up for Jags Day

Chris Anderson said daughter Geneveive is all ready for Jags Day at school and a win on Sunday.

The picture was posted Friday to our Community Content page with a message of Go Jags!!!

Get your gear

If the Jaguars win Sunday, Dick's Sporting Goods stores around Jacksonville will have extended hours to sell AFC Championship merchandise

The below store locations will offer championship merchandise following the game on Sunday (1/21) & open early on Monday (1/22) at 6 a.m. if the team wins:

St. Johns Town Center
10390 Midtown Parkway
Jacksonville, FL 32246

Orange Park Mall
1910 Wells Road
Orange Park, FL 32073

Parkway Shops
14964 Max Leggett Parkway
Suite 300
Jacksonville, FL 32218     

DUUUVALL banner to fly in New England

Attorney John Phillips says he's covering the final $300 needed to fly Jacksonville banner over Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

He said he's raised funds to fly a supportive banner for every game of the playoff run.

He pointed out the banner is 3-0, including flying over Heinz Field, and they want to keep the streak going.

They found a pilot to fly a banner for two hours before the AFC Championship which will state: "DUUUUUVAAL! Go Jaguars #DTWD"

Behind the scenes at Channel 4

Local elementary gets in the spirit

Rufus E. Payne Elementary School on Hema Road in Northwest Jacksonville showed its team spirit this week with a sign in front of the school.

It reads: "Yes we Khan!," playing off the name of Jaguars owner Shad Khan.

Don't head to airport to see off team

The Jacksonville Jaguars travel by charter aircraft to their away games. This means the team does not come to the terminal, but to another secure area of the airport that is not accessible to the public.

As a result, there is no public viewing area for fans to watch the Jaguars team depart from Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) on Saturday or upon their return on Sunday, airport officials said.

Police checkpoints will be set up along Pecan Park Road near the south access of the airport. Only badged and authorized personnel will be allowed past these checkpoints. All others will have to detour along International Airport Blvd.

This is being done for safety reasons. There is no public parking in that area to safely accommodate fans.

Go Jags!

For more information about JAA, visit www.flyjacksonville.com.

Fans take over flight to New England