The NFL Is Once Again Stealing A Home Game From Philadelphia And Sending The Eagles To Play In Australia Next Season
Cooper Neill. Getty Images.The Philadelphia Eagles already had one of the most difficult schedules in the NFL this year. They had to travel down to San Paulo to start the season by playing the first NFL game in Brazil. Mind you, the field conditions were abysmal in that game. Then they fly back home, play 3 more games, and then have. theearliest bye week possible. This has been the first week off the Eagles have had since week 5. Now they're playing in the Super Bowl, so they'll end up having the 2nd shortest offseason in the league.
How does the NFL repay them? Get your asses back on a plane and fly 20+ hours to Australia, mate.
And not only are the Eagles getting sent down under, but it's yet another home international game for the Birds. So it's not even like it's saving them on any extra travel once they get back home.
Obviously it makes a ton of sense for the Eagles to play the first ever game in Australia. Jordan Mailata is one of the best stories in professional football. When he was drafted by the Eagles in 2018, he never played a snap of organized football. He comes over to America, learns under the great and powerful Jeff Stoutland, and 6 years later here he is playing in his 2nd Super Bowl as a 2nd team All-Pro this year.
The man is a bonafide star. He's a player who Australia should be proud of, and a player they should get to watch (and hear) in person.
The issue here is that the Eagles have become a victim of their own success. They're too good. They are too marketable. The NFL knows that if they want this league to really catch on internationally, the story of the NFL needs to be told through the lense of the Eagles. They might rack up the most miles ever traveled by a team in NFL history, and the most passionate fanbase in America might have to lose out on one home game per year because of it, but that's just the gift and the curse of being the Philadelphia Eagles.
But maybe if the NFL wants to stop completely shafting the Eagles for a brief moment here, they'll figure out a way to push the Myles Garrett trade talks towards Howie Roseman. Imagine how hard Australia will fall in love with American Football if they get Jordan Mailata relentlessly bullying guys on offense, only to be followed up by Jalen Carter and Myles Garrett unleashing havoc on poor old Matt Stafford. They might forget rugby even exists.
Go Birds.