Security has ramped up ahead of the NFL’s first-ever game in Brazil after players from the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers voiced concerns about safety in São Paulo, according to ESPN.
The two NFC foes will battle in Week 1 at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo, marking the first NFL game played in South America.
While the NFL continues its global reach, players like Eagles star receiver A.J. Brown have noted a lot of "don’t do’s" have been passed down to those heading there.
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"We had a meeting with a whole bunch of ‘don’t do’s,’" Brown told reporters, via ESPN. "So, I’m just trying to go down there, win a football game and come back home."
His Eagles teammate, top cornerback Darius Slay Jr., echoed Brown’s comments on his "Big Play Slay" podcast, adding that players are being told to stay put and not walk the streets.
"Week 1, I’m looking forward to it, I can’t wait. But man, I do not want to go to Brazil. You want to know why? I’m here to tell you why," Slay explained. "They already told us not to leave the hotel. They told us we can’t do too much going on because the crime rate is crazy."
Slay even questioned why the NFL would want a game in Brazil in the first place, considering the safety concerns.
"I’m like, ‘NFL, why y’all wanna send us somewhere where the crime rate is this high and we out the country?’ You know, the first thing people are thinking is like some terror could possibly happen," he said. "I told my family do not come down there because I'm not going to be nowhere to be found. I'm going to be in the hotel chilling, minding my business, playing my game after a long 9½-hour flight."
Slay later apologized for his comments, saying he was sorry if he offended anyone via social media.
But Slay’s concerns are legitimate because he isn’t the only one voicing them. And the São Paulo state government has reacted accordingly.
"To guarantee the safety of the players, the military police will reinforce the number of personnel upon arrival of the delegations at the Guarulhos Airport and escort the teams to their hotels, training sites and the stadium," it said in a statement, via ESPN.
This isn’t the first time the NFL has had games in locations where safety concerns were brought up, including a stop in Mexico, where games have been played since 2005.
The Eagles and Packers will be heading to Brazil Wednesday to gear up for the start of the new 2024 NFL season, one in which both teams are expected to be playoff contenders.
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