A nine-hour flight to Brazil and some time practicing in the sun in Sao Paulo seem to have eased the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers ahead of their season opener on Friday.
Many players and coaches had expressed doubts, concerns, or even unhappiness before the trip about being part of the first NFL game in South America. However, by Thursday, their excitement had overshadowed these worries.
The Eagles are considered the home team for the game at NeoQuimica Arena, which is almost 4,800 miles away from their home field, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The venue in Sao Paulo, home to soccer club Corinthians and used during the 2014 World Cup, is expected to host over 42,000 fans.
Friday games are unusual in the NFL, which typically reserves that night for high school football.
“We all grew up playing on Friday nights under the Friday night lights,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Thursday. “We might not be in Jamestown, New York, Houston, or Cleveland. We are in Brazil.
But it is still going to be Friday night, just like we all grew up playing this game. I got goosebumps really thinking about it.”
Eagles cornerback Darius Slay mentioned on his podcast earlier this week that he wasn’t excited about going to Brazil, though he later apologized.
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith had no comment about playing in Sao Paulo. Packers cornerback Eric Stokes said he was advised not to leave the team hotel.
Sao Paulo authorities announced on Wednesday that they are increasing security to address these concerns.
Sirianni noted that his team has been treated well since arriving Wednesday night and said he’s not worried about crime in the city, which some players had raised as a concern.
“We came here to do a job, right? Our job is not to come and go sightseeing or anything like that. Our job is to come here and play a football game against a very good opponent and try to win. Our job is to focus on just that, and not anything outside,” Sirianni said.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who, along with the Packers’ Jordan Love, is featured in a large mural on a building in Sao Paulo, said he was thankful for the chance to represent the sport.
“I am a kid from East Houston who used to play this game in the streets. Any patch of grass I could find, I would throw the ball around and really enjoy the game,” Hurts said.
“Just having the chance to come this far in this journey and be where we are, my spirit is full of gratitude to be here. It is a blessing to play in an international game and share this moment with the people of Brazil.”
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley surprised local reporters by showing off a jersey from Brazil’s national soccer team with his name on the back. He mentioned it was sent to him by the country’s soccer association.
Tanner McKee, Philadelphia’s third-string quarterback, spent 21 months in Brazil on a Mormon mission. Speaking in Portuguese, he said that many of his teammates’ concerns were due to their “fear of the unknown.”
The 24-year-old McKee lived in Sao Paulo and the Southern city of Curitiba.
“Most of them have never visited Brazil, they don’t speak the language, they don’t know much about Brazil. They know you guys like soccer, you speak Portuguese and your barbecue is great,” McKee said in Portuguese.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur also spoke some Portuguese to the local media.
“Bom dia!” (“Good morning!”) LaFleur said. Wide receiver Jayden Reed learned “Go, Pack, go” in Portuguese: “Vai, Packers, vai!,” he repeated to the cameras.
Two years ago, when the Packers were preparing to play the New York Giants in London, LaFleur was not very enthusiastic about the trip. This time, his view was different.
“Your country has been great to us. The people have been fantastic,” LaFleur said. “We’re looking forward to making history tomorrow.”
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