NFL criticized for poor field conditions in Brazil during Packers and Eagles games

The NFL's first international game of the 2024 season had several concerns, but slippery field conditions were not the top priority.

The Green Bay Packers were hosted by the Philadelphia Eagles at Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday night. Despite some players expressing safety concerns prior to the game, the main threat seemed to be the field conditions.

Both teams experienced slips during the early drives and this persisted throughout the first half.

On his first carry for the Eagles, Saquon Barkley, who was making his debut, suffered a major mishap and slipped for a five-yard loss. Despite this, he eventually caught his footing and scored two touchdowns for Philadelphia, including an 18-yard pass from Jalen Hurts for his first score since leaving the New York Giants.

The slippery conditions contributed to the Packers' missed tackles.

With just over five minutes left in the first half, quarterback Jordan Love came close to disaster when he slipped on 1st and 10 and almost got picked off after throwing the ball to avoid a sack.

Fans at home appeared just as displeased with the conditions on the field.

"To make players travel far to play a football game in Brazil, the field conditions must be superior to this. One bad slip can make it dangerous," one person posted on X.

"I'd rather injure my ACL at MetLife than attempt to play football on a Brazil field," someone else stated.

"The NFL should never hold games in Brazil again. They are not suited for this climate. I have witnessed 8-10 players suffer injuries by simply slipping on the field. This is a disaster."

J.J. Watt, a former Houston Texans defensive end, also contributed to the discussion from a player's point of view.

""Soccer fields are designed for speed and agility, but they are not suitable for NFL players' size and strength to perform cutting, pushing, and driving all game on them. This is a common issue in international games," he wrote in a post on X."

The NFL's first-ever game in Brazil will take place on Friday at Neo Quimica Arena, which has previously hosted the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell expressed hope for up to 16 international games per season prior to kickoff.

""I hope to increase the number of approved games to 16 in the future. Let's see how it progresses," he said."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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