LeBron James expresses concern over subpar field conditions of NFL game in Brazil
NBA star LeBron James was among those voicing concerns during the NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles at the Corinthians Arena in Brazil. The slippery field made it difficult for both players and referees to maintain their footing.
This Packers-Eagles matchup marked the NFL's first-ever game in South America, taking place at the home stadium of the soccer team SC Corinthians, a venue that also hosted events during the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics.
However, the problematic field conditions drew criticism from many, including LeBron James.
“Man this field sucks!!! 🤦🏾♂️ GB vs PHI,” he said on X (formerly Twitter).
Yankees podcast host Gary Sheffield Jr. criticized the NFL, saying the league should be embarrassed by the poor field conditions.
"The NFL should be embarrassed to have agreed to play football in Brazil when these are the field conditions,” he said. “These guys are running routes where crops should be growing.”
“If you’re going to make players fly all the way to Brazil to play a football game, the field conditions have to be better than this,” added X user @Braxxx26. All it takes is one bad slip, it’s dangerous.”
Shannon Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith discuss LeBron James’ ‘Mount Rushmore’ of NFL QBs
LeBron James recently appeared in a TikTok video shared by Uninterrupted, where he shared his Mount Rushmore of NFL quarterbacks.
He named Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and Joe Montana, and then had to choose between John Elway and Peyton Manning, ultimately selecting Elway.
LeBron James' selection sparked a debate between Shannon Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith on First Take:
"It gets a little tricky when it gets to that fourth spot," Sharpe said. "You got Peyton Manning, five MVPs, two Super Bowls. You got John, who I played with for a decade, and he wins two and he goes to five.”
"I'm going Elway," Sharpe said. "I played with the guy, the guy helped get me into the Hall of Fame… The way he talked to me, the way he coached me, the way he was with me in the locker room and on the field — [he] gets it for me."
Smith argued Manning deserved to be on the list.
"You cannot leave Peyton Manning off that list," Smith said. "You just can't do it."
John Elway holds the record for the most wins by a starting quarterback in NFL history. He was selected to a franchise-record nine Pro Bowls, tied for the most by a quarterback, and was named NFL MVP in 1987.
Manning, also known for his exceptional passing, secured an NFL-record five MVP awards and two Super Bowl titles. He held numerous NFL records, including most passing yards, touchdown passes and career wins as a starting quarterback, to name a few.