NFL Rumors: Packers Could Be Eagles' Opponent in Brazil for Week 1 of 2024 Schedule
April 9, 2024
There could be a high-profile NFC showdown in São Paulo, Brazil, in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season.
While it is already known the Philadelphia Eagles will participate in the NFL's first-ever game in Brazil on Friday, September 6, their opponent has not yet been publicized. Yet Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy suggested it could be his team.
"We're either the first- or second-most popular team in Brazil," he said Tuesday before the team's annual tailgate tour, per Glenn Erby of USA Today's Eagles Wire.
Rob Demovsky @RobDemovskyBased on Packers president Mark Murphy's comments this morning, it sounds like they're preparing to open the season in Brazil against the Eagles.<br><br>Speaking before the annual Tailgate Tour departed, Murphy said: "We're either the first- or second-most popular team in Brazil." <a href="https://t.co/AObENaLxtV">pic.twitter.com/AObENaLxtV</a>
Erby noted the Cleveland Browns are another possibility to face Philadelphia.
Still, a game between the Eagles and Packers would carry more meaning for the overall season than an inter-conference clash between Philadelphia and Cleveland. Both the Packers and Eagles made the playoffs last season and could be fighting for position again in 2024.
Starting the new campaign with a head-to-head win against a fellow playoff contender could go a long way for both squads.
It would also represent a showdown between two of the most promising young quarterbacks in the NFC. Jalen Hurts, 25, has already been to a Super Bowl as a two-time Pro Bowler, while Jordan Love, 25, threw for 4,159 yards in his first full season as a starter in 2023.
Regardless of whether it is Cleveland, Green Bay or someone else, the game in Brazil will generate plenty of headlines as the league's first one in the continent.
"This landmark first international game in South America demonstrates the ongoing expansion of our global footprint," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said as part of the announcement. "Playing on Friday night of Week 1 is a unique way to highlight our international growth and ambitions."
The NFL has played games in London, Germany and Mexico in the past and will play a game in Madrid, Spain, during the 2025 campaign as it continues to expand its international series.