Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay had critical remarks for the NFL’s decision to host his team’s Week 1 matchup against the Green Bay Packers in Brazil.
The six-time Pro Bowler expressed his discontent playing in Sao Paulo on a recent episode of his podcast, “Big Play Slay.”
“Week 1, I’ve been looking forward to it. I can’t wait. But, man, I do not want to go to Brazil,” Slay said, according to Fox News.
“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,” he continued.
Slay told his family not to come see him play.
‘I Do Not Want To Go’: Eagles’ Darius Slay Blasts NFL For Sending Players To ‘Somewhere With A Crime Rate This High’ https://t.co/YIAiL1y06q
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Per Bleacher Report:
He also said he told his family not to come because he plans on eating in the hotel and remaining there except for when the team goes to the stadium to play.
The game is Friday, and the Eagles’ official website broke down the travel plans.
“The Eagles are leaving on Wednesday, flying for about 10 hours, arriving Wednesday night, having a team walkthrough at the stadium on Thursday, playing the game on Friday night, and then flying back to Philadelphia immediately after the game. The turnaround time is remarkable, and while the team is traveling outside of the United States, the time difference is only one hour.”
That breakdown also pointed out the NFL is providing security for the trip to São Paulo for the league’s first-ever game in South America.
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Fox News reports:
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.
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.
WATCH (start at 36:00):
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