Ongoing social unrest in Paris has raised questions regarding the Steelers-Saints game due to be played there in 11 days.
On Wednesday, the league issued a statement indicating that it’s full steam ahead in the land of berets and really long, skinny loaves of bread.
“We’re excited for the first-ever regular season game in Paris, and preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France on October 25,” the NFL said in a statement, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “As we do for every NFL game, including our international games, we work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. We look forward to welcoming fans to Paris later this month.”
Whether they “look forward” to it and whether it will actually happen are two different things. And if the NFL ultimately concludes that the staging of the game will present safety issues for anyone involved, the NFL surely will reconsider its plans.
The most obvious alternative would be to play the game in New Orleans. When the NFL decided in 2018 that the field in Mexico City was unsuitable for play, the Chiefs-Rams game was moved to L.A.