Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay is looking forward to their Week 1 matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Friday, but he is not looking forward to the team’s trip to Brazil.
During a recent episode of his podcast “Big Play Slay,” the six-time Pro Bowler expressed safety concerns for the teams playing in the South American country, adding that he specifically told his family not to make the trip to Brazil to see him play.
Darius Slay Jr., #2 of the Philadelphia Eagles, reacts before a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on Aug. 9, 2024 in Baltimore. ( Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
“Week 1, I’ve been looking forward to it. I can’t wait. But, man, I do not want to go to Brazil,” he began. “And you wanna know why? I’m here to tell you why. They already told us not to leave the hotel. They told us we can’t do too much going on because the crime rate is crazy.”
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Slay added that because he would not be able to see his family much while on the trip, he advised them to stay home.
“I’m like, NFL why y’all wanna send us somewhere where the crime rate is this high and we out the country? You know, the first thing people are thinking is like some terror could possibly happen. I told my family do not come down there because I’m not going to be nowhere to be found. I’m going to be in the hotel chilling, minding my business, playing my game after a long 9.5 hour flight.”
Darius Slay, #2 of the Philadelphia Eagles, leads a huddle prior to an NFL Wild Card playoff football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 15, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
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Slay said he hopes the Eagles can pick up a win in Brazil and “come back happy. Come back home safely.”
Friday’s game will be the NFL’s first-ever in Brazil. It will be played at the Corinthians Arena, home to Brazilian soccer team SC Corinthians, in São Paulo. The stadium has previously played host to the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Fans pack the stands of the Neo Quimica arena during a Brazilian soccer league match between Corinthians and Flamengo in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. The arena is set to host an NFL football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 6. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
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It will be the first of five international games during the regular NFL season. The New York Jets vs. the Minnesota Vikings, the Jacksonville Jaguars vs. the Chicago Bears, and the New England Patriots vs. the Jaguars will all be held in London.
The New York Giants will also play against the Carolina Panthers in Germany in November.
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