The New York Giants are headed overseas this season, as they’re slated to take on the Green Bay Packers in London on Oct. 9. The game will be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and will kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Players and coaches have mixed opinions on playing outside the United States, but Giants rookie edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux seems excited to take part in the NFL International Series in his first professional season.
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Ohhh so we international 🤣
“Ohhh so we international 🤣” Thibodeaux tweeted.
Thibodeaux, who described himself as a “perfect fit” for the city of New York before the 2022 NFL Draft, ended up going to the Giants with the fifth-overall pick. The 6-foot-4, 254-pound pass rusher is very business-oriented and playing in London will give him an opportunity to introduce himself to thousands of international fans.
While the travel and fanfare can be taxing, balling out on an international stage can certainly boost a player’s personal brand. That might be something that motivates Thibodeaux to play well against the Packers in London this season.
Giants Are 2-0 All Time in London Games
While the Packers have never played outside of the United States, this will be the Giants’ third ever trip to London. New York has never lost overseas.
The Giants’ first trip to London marked the first (regular-season) international game in NFL history. In that game, the Giants beat the Miami Dolphins by a final score of 13-10. The most memorable play from that game was a 10-yard touchdown run by quarterback Eli Manning.
The man who made a piece of London games history.
The player with the first London games Touchdown…
Arise, Eli Manning.
@giants 👊
The Giants returned to London in 2016 to play the Los Angeles Rams. The Giants won that game, 17-10, thanks in large part to this 44-yard interception-return touchdown by Safety Landon Collins.
The greatest-ever London Games touchdown?
Landon Collins’ pick-six will forever be legendary.
The Giants have some good memories playing in London and will look to make another one this fall. Both times New York has made the trip overseas, the team ended up making the playoffs. The first time, they went all the way to Super Bowl XLII and won.
The Giants have not been back to the playoffs since the 2016 season. If they return from London with yet another win, perhaps that can be the catalyst that helps them end the postseason drought.
Giants Did Not Demand Post-London Bye Week
This is a little curious. According to Tom Rock of Newsday, the Giants declined the option to have their bye week after they return from London.
The thinking is that it would be too early in the season for the bye to be advantageous and traveling to London from NY is no more taxing than some West Coast trips.
Miles from Newark to Seattle: 2402
Miles from Newark to LAX: 2454
Miles from Newark to Heathrow: 3465
The Giants could still end up with a bye week following their trip to London when the full NFL schedule is finalized, Rock notes, but it’s unusual that they did not specifically request it. The Giants might prefer to have their bye later than Week 6, since they now play 17 games.
Rock also points out that, for the Giants, a trip to London is not all that different than a trip to the West Coast. Big Blue will make the trip out west to play the Seattle Seahawks (date/week TBA) this season, but their only other trips outside the Eastern Time Zone in 2022 are to Dallas, Minnesota and Tennessee (all Central Time Zone).
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Kayvon Thibodeaux Reacts To Giants Playing Game in London