Each year when the NFL releases their regular season schedule sometime in mid-May, one of the first sets of games that is announced is the NFL International Series. Every season since 2007 — with the exception of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 — the NFL has played at least one game on international soil, with matchups taking place in England, Mexico, and Germany. The NFL will be expanding to Spain in 2025, and this season, the league will be playing its first game in South America, as the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles head down to Sao Paulo, Brazil for an opening week Friday night game at Arena Corinthians.
In theory, this sounds great. The NFL is wise for continuing their attempt to expand the league's reach, making football more accessible all around the world, especially in South America, where futbol — not football — has been king. However, here is one minor snafu that has come up with this visit to Brazil. Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs dished on the upcoming trip to Brazil during an appearance on The Green Light Podcast with Chris Long.
“They said the part of Brazil we going to you can't even wear green at,” Josh Jacobs, the Packers new starting running back, said on Thursday. “They said, I guess something to do with the gangs.”
You know, this wouldn't be as much of a problem if, say, the Chiefs and Raiders were playing in Brazil. Or the Bears and Commanders. Or the Vikings and Bengals. OR ANY TWO TEAMS THAT DON'T WEAR GREEN!
What in the holy hell was the NFL thinking? Maybe Josh Jacobs is exaggerating. I have no idea. The current crime rate in Sao Paulo, Brazil is not something I know of off the top of my head, nor do I intend to do a deep dive of gang activity in South America. But I do know that the NFL probably had to do a little digging before they scheduled these two teams for a matchup in Brazil, so this is something that they should've considered at some point in time.
The 2024 NFL International Series
Hopefully things go off without a hitch down in Brazil in Week 1, because then the NFL will be setting their sights on England and Germany, two host countries that the league has a great deal of familiarity with in their NFL International Series. Things kick off on October 6th when the New York Jets (the third of just three NFL teams whose primary color is green — honestly I'm shocked the NFL didn't find a way to send them to Brazil too) play the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Then a week later, the Chicago Bears will host the Jacksonville Jaguars in the same stadium.
A week after that, Jacksonville plays “host” to the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium. Then on November 10th, the NFL will return to Munich, Germany, as the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers face off in a “Loser Stays in Germany” game.
(I kid.)
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