International NFL games can be great, but having too many is not. The games are clearly money grabs by the league, and an attempt to build an audience in other countries that don't care much about American football. This is why the Indianapolis Colts going overseas for the second straight year is mostly annoying.
JJ Watt would agree with the above. Maybe not the Indy part, though. The former Houston Texans great likely hopes the Colts find a way to lose every game, while Indy fans hope Houston does. But Watt did offer a strong opinion on the growing number of international games every year.
Watt tweeted after the release of the international schedule, featuring nine games away from the United States, "International game slate is nearing the realm of traveling circus as opposed (to) occasional showcase."
JJ Watt says what many Indianapolis Colts fans are thinking about the London game
Indeed. While it might make sense for the NFL to have a few games a year abroad, and assuming one of the nations is going to be the UK, as the Jacksonville Jaguars are destined to play there multiple times a season, having nine games strains credibility.
The evil underbelly of all those international trips is that the NFL has seemingly found a way to make more money hosting those games instead of having them in the stadiums of the teams that would otherwise host the games. Nine games internationally are nine games that some home fans won't get to see at their favorite team's stadium. That would seemingly be money lost.
And, to be certain, the league isn't in the business to lose money. How payments are structured for international games isn't broadcast, of course. The NFL wants to keep that a secret among owners. But it is the fans that lose out.
The good part for Indianapolis Colts fans next season is that it isn't Lucas Oil Stadium that's losing a game, but the Washington Commanders are. The NFC East squad will be the home team for the game. Still, it does require a bit of extra travel for Indy players, and could, in theory, push back the return of quarterback Daniel Jones, who could rehab instead of taking a trip to London.
The game itself will be in Week 4 on October 4. The presumed kickoff will be 9:30 am, so at least Colts fans can have a bit of breakfast and football. Let's just hope for another victory, just as happened when the team played the Atlanta Falcons in Berlin, Germany, in 2025.
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