2024-09-06 21:40:02
SAO PAULO, Brazil – The Packers are in South America and eager to kick off the 2024 season Friday night against the Philadelphia Eagles at Arena Corinthians.
Green Bay conducted a high-pace walkthrough on Thursday, with Head Coach Matt LaFleur, quarterback Jordan Love and select Packers players addressing the media before and after practice.
Here are five takeaways from Thursday’s activities:
- Packers are ready to make history in Brazil’s “Super Bowl.”
Green Bay is fully embracing the opportunity to play the first NFL game in South America, which is now the fifth continent to host an NFL preseason or regular-season game.
LaFleur even opened his 14-minute news conference with a hearty “Bom dia,” which means “Good morning” in Portuguese.
“We’re really excited to be down here in Brazil,” LaFleur said. “Your country has been great to us. The people have been fantastic. We’re looking forward to making history here and really looking forward to playing the Philadelphia Eagles to start off the 2024 season.”
LaFleur said the Packers’ experience so far has been “nothing but positive,” lauding the fans, hotel, food and organization. The only real obstacle was the 10-hour flight from Green Bay to Sao Paulo. Even then, LaFleur said the plane ride was smooth, with spacious pods to accommodate most of the players.
After practice, Love expressed his gratitude for Brazilian Packers fans, praising those who showed up at the airport to welcome the team to Sao Paulo on Wednesday night.
While the focus has remained solely on beating the Eagles, the history Love and the Packers are making this week isn’t lost on the fifth-year quarterback.
“It’s an awesome opportunity to play the first ever NFL game here,” Love said. “I know there’s a lot of fans over here in South America. It’s awesome to be live here in front of you guys. I’m very excited. We said it the other day – this is the Brazilian Super Bowl here, so we’re gonna make it a great game for you guys.”
