A few weeks after the NFL announced an international game to be played in São Paulo, Brazil next season, one league insider suggests a first-of-its-kind showdown could involve the Browns. Long-time NFL writer Peter King said in his weekly Football Night In America piece for NBC Sports that he was “feeling good” about the Browns’ season opener against the Eagles in Brazil on Friday, September 6.
Earlier this month, Philadelphia was confirmed to be the host team for the game. Their opponent, however, is not expected to be announced until the week of the league’s schedule announcement special in May. The NFL’s overseas slate is normally announced a few days before each team’s full schedule is revealed.
It’s also worth noting that the game will be played on a Friday night in Week 1, which will be the league’s first such game since 1970.
If King’s “feeling” comes true, Cleveland will begin the 2024 season with back-to-back road games. The team just announced a large concert with Bill Joel and Rod Stewart on Friday, September 13, one week after the Browns’ prospective season opening in Brazil. The two-day turnaround from the concert to the Sunday game is nearly impossible for the team’s grounds crew to complete. The Browns’ last overseas game occurred in 2017, when they lost 33-16 to the Vikings. To date, the franchise has made only one appearance in an international game since the league introduced the practice in 2007.
