High school football has always been about more than what happens between the sidelines. It’s about community pride, tradition, and neighbors coming together to support the next generation. Now, Jeff Davis County has an opportunity to showcase that spirit on a national stage. The Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets are participating in T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights, a nationwide initiative designed to celebrate small-town football while giving communities the chance to compete for a $1 million grand prize to upgrade their football facilities.
Friday Night 5G Lights is much more than a competition. Created by T-Mobile, the nationwide program highlights the passion and traditions surrounding high school football in small towns across America. The initiative celebrates the communities that rally around their schools while providing opportunities for schools to receive funding for athletic facilities and football programs. This year, T-Mobile is awarding millions of dollars in prizes to more than 1,000 schools, including one $1 million grand prize that will provide a transformational upgrade to a winning school’s home football field.
Community Tailgate Planned
Jeff Davis residents will have an opportunity to show their Yellow Jacket pride during a special T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights Tailgate before the team’s home football game.
Tailgate Details
Friday, August 14
Beginning at 5:30 p.m.
MAC/Football Field Parking Lot
The event will feature:
- Free food
- T-Mobile giveaways
- Photo opportunities
- Family-friendly activities
- Plenty of school spirit
Community members are encouraged to wear T-Mobile pink and help demonstrate why Jeff Davis County is one of the strongest football communities in Georgia.
Supporting Yellow Jacket Football
Any funds earned through the Friday Night 5G Lights program will directly benefit the Jeff Davis football program.
Those funds help provide resources that directly support student-athletes, including:
- Player meals
- Uniforms and equipment
- Travel expenses
- Other football program needs
Every dollar earned goes directly back into the football program to help provide the best possible experience for Jeff Davis student-athletes.
Chamber Businesses Join the Effort
The Jeff Davis County Chamber of Commerce is also encouraging local businesses to help showcase Jeff Davis County’s school spirit through its new “Jackets Mean Business” Spirit Competition. Chamber member businesses are invited to decorate their storefronts, offices, and windows in navy and gold before the Yellow Jackets’ first regular season home game on Friday, August 21.
Participating businesses will be judged on creativity, Yellow Jacket pride, and overall presentation. Throughout the day, members of the Jeff Davis football team and cheerleaders will visit participating businesses for photos that will be shared on the Chamber’s social media pages. One business will be named the 2026 Jackets Mean Business Champion, earning community bragging rights for showing the most Yellow Jacket spirit. Participation is free for Chamber member businesses, although registration is required. Businesses can register here:
Jackets Mean Business Registration
Showing What Jeff Davis Is All About
Programs like Friday Night 5G Lights recognize something Jeff Davis residents have known for years—that Friday nights in Hazlehurst are about much more than football.
They’re about community. They’re about tradition. They’re about generations of families gathering together to support the Yellow Jackets.
From businesses decorating their storefronts in navy and gold to fans filling the stands on Friday nights, Jeff Davis County has an opportunity to show the nation what hometown pride looks like. Whether you’re a lifelong Yellow Jacket fan, an alumnus, a parent, a business owner, or simply someone who enjoys seeing the community come together, organizers hope everyone will join in the excitement.
Wear your T-Mobile pink on August 14, support our local businesses during the Jackets Mean Business competition on August 21, and let’s show the country why Jeff Davis County is proud to say one thing:
Jackets Mean Business!
How the Community Can Help
Community participation is one of the keys to helping Jeff Davis stand out in the Friday Night 5G Lights competition.
Organizers are encouraging everyone to get involved by sharing the excitement on social media. Students, parents, teachers, alumni, booster clubs, the football team, cheerleaders, band members, local businesses, and community organizations are all invited to post photos, videos, and moments that showcase Jeff Davis County’s Yellow Jacket pride.
Whether it’s pictures from pep rallies, decorated businesses, tailgate events, Friday night lights, or everyday displays of school spirit, every post helps increase the visibility of Jeff Davis’s entry and builds momentum throughout the community.
To help T-Mobile see the community’s support, participants are encouraged to:
- Tag Jeff Davis High School’s official social media accounts
- Tag @TMobile
- Use the hashtags #FN5GL and #Entry
Every post is another opportunity to show the nation what makes Jeff Davis County special.
