Brazilian backlash hits wrong NFL star as ‘scared’ Eagles player says sorry

The major news for the National Football League’s regular season kickoff is that, in this first week, one of the five international games scheduled for the season will be played. Moreover, it will be a historic one, as it will be the first NFL game ever held in Brazil. Friday night, from 8:15 p.m., the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers will face off at the Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, marking a historic event within the NFL’s expansion framework.

Crime concerns for Eagles-Packers clash

In fact, Brazil won out over Spain, which will have to wait until 2025 to host an NFL regular-season game at the Santiago Bernabéu. The great interest in American football in Brazil, along with the fact that the grand opening of the Madrid stadium has not yet occurred, were key factors in the NFL’s decision to go to São Paulo. Additionally, it’s a high-profile game between two teams expected to be playoff contenders.

However, not everything has been smooth for the players involved. The Eagles and Packers arrived in Brazil on Wednesday, just 48 hours before the game – much less time than teams typically have when playing in Europe. Although there is no time zone adjustment needed, one of the recommendations the players received was to stay in their hotels to avoid potential safety issues. This concern was notably voiced by Philadelphia’s cornerback Darius Slay on his podcast.

“I can’t wait for Week 1, but man, I don’t want to go to Brazil. You know why? They already told us not to leave the hotel, told us there’s not much we can do because the crime rate is crazy. And I’m like, ‘NFL, why do you want to send us somewhere with such a high crime rate?’” Slay said, adding that he had advised his family not to travel for the game.

His teammate A.J. Brown, the Eagles’ wide receiver, echoed the sentiment: “I’m trying to go there, win a football game, and come back home... But after hearing all this, I’ll probably be in my room,” Brown explained. He also highlighted “a lot of things” they won’t be able to do in São Paulo. “Things we normally do, even something as simple as walking down the street with your phone in your hand. It’s crazy.”

Apology to Brazil and wrongfully accused

Following the backlash from the host country, Slay felt the need to publicly apologise on social media for his comments.

“I want to apologise to anyone I may have offended, that was not my intention. I’m really looking forward to playing in your beautiful country, and I’ve heard you are as passionate as our amazing Eagles fans. Just a few more days, I can’t wait!” the cornerback wrote.

An amusing anecdote from the situation was that many angry Brazilian fans mistakenly directed their frustration at Darius Slayton, wide receiver for the New York Giants, who received a flood of insults for something he didn’t say. “Dear people of Brazil, my name is Darius SlayTON, and I’m a wide receiver for the New York Giants, I’m innocent,” he joked.