Sao Paulo tightens security for Eagles vs Packers week 1 game in Brazil: report
The NFL will make its debut in South America this Friday when the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 of the 2024 season. The two NFC powerhouses will clash at Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which might be the only time the teams leave the hotel during the stay in Latin America's largest country.
After Eagles players shared safety concerns ahead of the game, the Sao Paulo state government decided to utilize civil and military police to strengthen security during the game.
"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," a statement read, via ESPN.
This game will be historic as the first Week 1 matchup held on a Friday evening since 1970. The NFL did a terrific job by selecting two teams expected to be in the playoff hunt or possibly in the Super Bowl next February. That said, the league will need to take the necessary precautions to keep the players safe.
Recently, Darius Slay Jr. spoke about the dangers of going to Brazil on his "Big Play Slay" podcast and the recommendations players received ahead of this event.
"Week 1, I'm looking forward to it, I can't wait," Darius Slay Jr. said. "But man, I do not want to go to Brazil, you want to know why? I'm here to tell you why. 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."
Eagles and Packers kick off a promising season for both teams
Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers are seen as legit candidates to succeed the NFL this season. In 2023, the Eagles went from a great first half to a very disappointing second half by losing the last five of six regular season games. Philadelphia ultimately lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild card round of the playoffs.
Some roster moves have updated the team's status as one of the favorites to win the NFC in 2024.
As for the Packers, it has been confirmed that Jordan Love is the franchise QB after throwing for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns and earning a passer rating of 96.1. The team hopes to see him reach another level this season and go further in the playoffs.