The NFL has been making a concerted effort to expand the scope of its schedule and games globally. With the Olympics set to include flag football in 2028, the league’s hope has to be to make the sport more accessible to everyone worldwide.
In recent years, that has manifested itself in a variety of ways, with the international games among the biggest examples. However, veteran NFL analyst Mike Florio doesn’t think anyone wants to take part in those matchups
Mike Florio Remains Against the NFL International Games
Over the years, the scope of the games has expanded to include many countries. Starting with the United Kingdom, it has now gone to Ireland, Spain, Germany, and Brazil in recent years. But the width is increasing each year.
Next season, France and Australia are expected to join the lineup, with the latter hosting a game in Week 1, when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Los Angeles Rams in a divisional matchup.
However, Florio, who’s served as one of the NFL’s primary voices on NBC, doesn’t think the international games model works in the teams’ favor. He spoke about the situation on NBC’s “Pro Football Talk.”
“He clearly is not interested in starting the season with a game in Australia,” Florio said. Who would be? What head coach wants to travel that far through 19 time zones to play a game that counts? Nobody wants to do it. They’re doing it because they have to do it.”
The “he” in question is head coach Kyle Shanahan, who wasn’t pleased with the NFL scheduling the 49ers to play the Rams in Australia.
Shanahan had also earlier subtly admitted that the Rams wanted them as opponents in Australia to reduce the number of away fans in a potential game at SoFi Stadium.
As a result, Florio doesn’t believe Shanahan is completely on board with the idea, but has to move forward like a good soldier. Instead, Florio argued that the veteran head coach’s priorities lay elsewhere.
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“I wouldn’t care,” Florio said about his views on the NFL’s plan to grow the game internationally if he were a head coach. “I care about my team, my legacy… By the time this international experiment comes to full fruition, you’re going to create, and this is the reality, they are going to create short-term competitive disadvantages for teams all in the name of trying to make the sport into a global phenomenon.”
Regardless of the disagreement from some veterans in the media like Florio, the NFL remains committed to making its vision of an international sport a success. The foundations are already in place, and if the rapid efforts continue in that direction, it could soon become the norm.
