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The Philadelphia Eagles will play one of the NFL’s heritage franchises in Brazil to kickoff the 2024 season.
According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Eagles will take on the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 6.
The kickoff inside Brazil’s São Paulo at the Corinthians Arena will be the NFL’s first contest in South America and will feature two of the NFL’s premier young quarterbacks as Jalen Hurts leads the Eagles against Jordan Love and the Packers.
“This landmark first international game in South America demonstrates the ongoing expansion of our global footprint,” NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell said in a press release when the game was announced on February 5. “Playing on Friday night of Week 1 is a unique way to highlight our international growth and ambitions.”
On April 9, Packers President Mark Murphy hinted that Green Bay would be the Eagles’ opponent, and expressed excitement over the opportunity to showcase the franchise internationally.
“We’re either the first- or second-most popular team in Brazil,” Murphy said, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
Saquon Barkley Fired Up For Eagles’ Brazil Game
Moments after the NFL officially announced the Eagles and Packers clash in Brazil, Saquon Barkley expressed his excitement over the game on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account.
Barkley arrives in Philadelphia after signing a three-year deal worth $37.5 million contract with the Eagles in free agency.
Jeffrey Lurie’s Big Hope for Jalen Hurts
The 2024 season represents an opportunity for redemption for Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Philadelphia significantly revamped Hurts’ supporting cast, hiring Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator, signing All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley, and bolstering the experienced depth at wide receiver behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith by bringing in Parris Campbell and DeVante Parker in hopes of upgrading the third-receiver position.
Hurts is looking to return to form from a stellar 2022 season in which he played his way into the throes of the MVP conversation while leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl berth.
But, after regressing a bit in 2023 by throwing nine more interceptions than the year prior and the Eagles’ season careening to an end in the NFC Wild Card Game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, all eyes are on Hurts and whether he can recapture what made him one of the top quarterbacks in the league.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie hopes Hurts’ mentality leads to a resurgence.
“The thing with Jalen, I want him to be authentic,” Lurie told reporters at the NFL Annual League Meeting. “That’s what he is. It’s the worst thing to be 24, 25 and to try to be something. Be authentic as he is. He’s an excellent, excellent example.”
Hurts tossed a career-high 15 interceptions and lost five fumbles, while never quite seeming to be on the same page with former offensive coordinator Brian Johnson during the 2023 campaign.
“I love the way Jalen is. I think he has his own style. … Every quarterback goes through ebbs and flows in their career, and so there were so many ups, and then we had a difficult final five or six games of the year.
“He will adjust to that and lead the way because he’s really respected for being who he is, and that’s — you have a 25-year-old player, I think you want to reinforce who they are, not try to mold them into somebody they’re not. He’s an exceptional leader.”