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CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) Suppose for a moment that Packers quarterback Jordan Love’s injury was more serious. Hypothetically a neck or spinal injury instead of a sprained MCL. Transporting someone from the field to the hospital and the treatment they receive in the hours after such an injury is critical. So, it’s fair to ask what kind of treatment options were available in Sao Paulo? If the answer isn’t satisfactory, the NFL has no business playing there.
Already I dislike sending NFL teams, and fans, to an unsafe city. The crime rate in Sau Paulo are far worse than anything in the United States: worse than Compton, the South Side of Chicago or the South Bronx. Fans who bought tickets to a game in an exotic location had no way to assess their personal safety in a far away land. The NFL told players not to leave the hotel, and the teams flew out as soon as the game was over. That’s not to mention playing on a field that wasn’t up to NFL standards.
If you have a good memory, the Packers played a preseason game in Winnipeg in 2019. That field also was not up to NFL standards. In the Canadian Football League, the goalposts are in the field of play. Moving the uprights to the NFL position left a small hole in-play in each end zone. Players, correctly, raised safety concerns. The game was played on an 80-yard field instead of players risking a leg or knee injury by stepping into a hole.
The NFL needs to prioritize team and fan safety over expanding their sport’s popularity into far way lands. I suspect if someone came up with the money, the NFL would play a game in Tehran. The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders could perform in burqas. Or maybe a warlord in Somalia has the scratch to sponsor a game. His militia could provide gameday security.
At some point, the naked pursuit of money at the expense of everything else is put-off-ish. If the NFL isn’t there yet, they’re getting close.
Chris Conley
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