The NFL’s global tour is rolling on, but the hangover might be lasting longer than the celebration. Imagine your favorite team grinding through a brutal, humid Friday night battle in Brazil. The samba music fades, the victory is sweet, but the real cost comes due ten days later.
The legs feel heavy, the timing is off, and a home opener that should’ve been a sure thing slips through their fingers. That’s the hidden toll of these international spectacles, a price the league seems eager to ignore as it doubles down on its overseas ambitions.
The NFL announced a major expansion into Brazil on September 26, committing to a minimum of three regular-season games in Rio de Janeiro over the next five years, starting in 2026.