NFL Stadium Sagas Highlighted by Monday Night Doubleheader

Week 3 NFL action concludes with the first of four Monday Night Football doubleheaders this season, and all four teams playing in prime time have one thing in common. The Jaguars, Bills, Commanders, and Bengals are four of the league’s 10 franchises in the midst of major—and often contentious—stadium projects.

At 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, the Jaguars visit the Bills, who are building a new stadium adjacent to their current home at a projected cost of $1.7 billion (already $300 million more than originally planned)—and with an interesting caveat. Erie County is paying $250 million for the construction and, on Monday, began selling municipal bonds to help fund up to half its share. The bonds start at $5,000 and will pay out a yet-to-be-determined interest rate on March 15 and Sept. 15 each year, beginning in 2025.

Buffalo’s opponent, Jacksonville, is waiting on league approval for a $1.4 billion plan (that includes $775 million in public money) to renovate EverBank Stadium—a process that would require the Jaguars to play in a temporary stadium during the 2027 season. Owners could vote on the deal next month.

Hard Works Remains

At 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC, the Bengals host the Commanders in a matchup of two clubs hoping to seal stadium deals in the near future.

The Bengals’ lease at Paycor Stadium expires in 2026, and, last week, Hamilton County released a $1.25 billion proposal, complete with renderings, to overhaul the 24-year-old venue and surrounding area. Getting that deal approved could be complicated by the Browns also seeking funds from the state of Ohio. This comes after the team announced $120 million worth of upgrades to its stadium this spring. 

For the Commanders, the facility situation is even trickier. While the team’s lease at the newly renamed Northwest Stadium expires in 2027, Washington owner Josh Harris has said that 2030 is a “realistic target” for a new one to open. Conversations are still taking place with officials in D.C. (revolving around the site of the old RFK Stadium), Virginia, and Maryland, where the Commanders currently play.

League Updates

Six other NFL franchises are also working through stadium situations.

The Titans are building a $2.1 billion dome that is set to open in 2027, the Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium is approved for an $800 million makeover, and the Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium is getting a multiphase $430 million renovation that will be completed in 2026.

On the flip side, the Bears look to be fighting an uphill battle as they try to secure funding for half the cost of the team’s proposed $4.7 billion dome. Meanwhile, the Chiefs and Browns continue to struggle to strike deals with local officials as their leases expire in 2031 and 2028, respectively.