JACKSONVILLE ECOMOMY PURRS WITH JAGUARS

The Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida is a big Jacksonville Jaguars fan. And why not? The four-year NFL team has meant a big boost to the city’s economy. It has been estimated that the presence of the Jaguars in the north Florida city since 1995 has brought in approximately $131 million annually to city coffers. Although the team itself is not a large employer, says Mayor JOHN DELANEY, it has been enormously influential in attracting jobs to the area. "I’ve been mayor for almost three years," he says, "and I’ve yet to have a discussion with a business we were recruiting that they didn’t want to talk about the football team." In 1997, Jacksonville was ranked by Money magazine as the ninth best location in America in which to live.

SEEKING DIRECTIONS? JUST FOLLOW THE NFL NAMES

If you’re in Knoxville, Tennessee, you can take PEYTON MANNING PASS directly to the stadium. If you’re looking for the center of Wilson, Arkansas, just ask for CORTEZ KENNEDY AVENUE -- formerly Main Street. And if you would like to see some high school football this fall in Granada Hills, California, head to JOHN ELWAY STADIUM. As has been tradition for ages ([CURLY] LAMBEAU FIELD), these NFL stars have had, or will have, property renamed for them this year. The upcoming rechristening is for Elway Stadium, where the Denver Broncos Super Bowl XXXII-winning quarterback played his high school football. Freeways and streets throughout the U.S. have been named for famous NFLers such as MIKE HOLMGREN, VINCE LOMBARDI and DON SHULA. Stadiums have been named after such NFL notables as PAUL BROWN, TOM LANDRY and BILL WALSH. And a whole town? Remember JOE, MONTANA?

NOT HUT! CUT!

The NFC Central has turned into central casting. Green Bay Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE and Chicago Bears defensive end MARK THOMAS have both filmed roles in two movies that will be out this year. Favre plays himself in "There’s Something About Mary," scheduled for release in July. With only a few lines, Favre isn’t ready to have his handprints encased in Hollywood cement. "I know where my roots are," says the NFL touchdown pass leader the past three seasons, "and that’s football." The Bears’ Thomas, who appeared in "Beverly Hills Cop III," has his first speaking part in the action-mystery "Slow" that is set in 1973. That’s why he sported bushy hair and lamb-chop sideburns at a recent Bears’ minicamp. "I didn’t realize how hard acting is," says Thomas.