NFL announces five-game international schedule for 2023 with three games in London

The Jacksonville Jaguars play back-to-back games in London and the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs take on the Miami Dolphins in Frankfurt as part of the NFL’s 2023 international slate.

It features five playoff teams from last season as the NFL meets London for the first three weeks of October before moving to Germany for consecutive weekends in November.

The Jaguars have been regulars in London since 2013, with owner Shahid Khan regularly docking his superyacht Kismet in London before heading to watch his Premier League side Fulham and the Jaguars in the capital.

The Jaguars will nominally host the Atlanta Falcons on October 1 at Wembley before traveling to play the Buffalo Bills as the away team at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 8.

In the third game in London, the Tennessee Titans will face the Baltimore Ravens in Tottenham on October 15.

Attention then turns to Frankfurt, where the Chiefs play the Dolphins on November 5 and the New England Patriots play the Indianapolis Colts on November 12.

Khan attempted to buy Wembley in 2018, calling it the Jags’ “home away from home” before last year’s defeat to the Denver Broncos.

That loss led to an unlikely turnaround, with the Jags going from 2-6 to 9-8 and a place in the playoffs, where they lost to the Chiefs in the divisional round.

The Jaguars were rumored to play consecutive weekends in London in 2020, but the Covid-ravaged season rejected that notion.

President Mark Lamping hinted that the Jags would have an extended stay in England, telling the Florida Times-Union last month: “The stars join the Jaguars’ home schedule and NFL schedule of London games for the first time .

‘There is a much greater chance that we will be asked to play as a visitor this year.’

Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence said, “We are excited to once again compete in the NFL’s International Games and take on the Falcons and Bills in London.

“Hosting the Falcons at Wembley Stadium will be great, then playing on the road against the Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. I’m excited about the experience and know that Duval’s support will be strong at both games.”

UK GM Henry Hodgson added: ‘To see the Jacksonville Jaguars extend their stay in the UK and play two regular season games here this year is an indication of the Jags’ commitment to continuing to expand their fanbase here over the long term.

“We have been hosting matches in London since 2007, with interest and momentum in the sport growing here in the UK every year and we look forward to providing fans with the best NFL experience to date in 2023.”

The Atlanta Falcons played in England twice before, a thrilling 22-21 loss to the Detroit Lions in 2014. Atlanta led 21-0 at halftime, but crashed to defeat by a 48-yard field goal as time expired. Seven years later, they beat the New York Jets 27-20 in Tottenham.

After drafting running back Bijan Robinson, hopes will be high in Atlanta that the first-run Falcons can do better than last season’s fourth-place finish in the dismal NFC South.

The Bills have undergone a rapid turnaround under head coach Sean McDermott, going from perennial underachievers to perennial underachievers in the playoffs.

The game is the first replay game after the Bills defeated Jacksonville at Wembley in 2015.

Titans fans may get a chance to see Will Levis play in the flesh after Tennessee traded in to draft the quarterback as the 33rd overall pick.

Tennessee played at Wembley once before, losing to the Chargers in 2018.

“We are excited to represent the NFL in London this season,” said Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. ‘I really enjoyed our experience on our last visit. The energy in the stadium and the atmosphere surrounding the match was impressive and I look forward to being a part of it again.”

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh gave a more earthy assessment of his team’s previous trip abroad – a 44-7 whoop of the Jaguars at Wembley in 2017.

That defeat and experience of playing abroad enraged Harbaugh to bark into the bowels of Wembley Stadium: “To be honest – and I might get in trouble for saying this – I don’t plan on going there any time soon to go to play. play again.

“So someone else could have that job,” he snapped.

After agreeing on Lamar Jackson’s contract extension, the Ravens will look to make their way back to the playoffs in the ultra-competitive AFC North.

After winning their second Super Bowl in four years, the Chiefs are the biggest draw from the international list this year.

With quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and head coach Andy Reid, even the Chiefs box office press conferences. They are sensational on the pitch.

Having reached three of the last four Super Bowls, German fans are in for a treat with the Dolphins undergoing a renaissance under head coach Mike McDaniel.

And finally, the Patriots are well versed in taking on any opponent under Bill Belichick’s leadership. They will make their debut on German soil against the Indianapolis Colts, who may or may not have No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson at quarterback.

“The confirmed matchups in Germany will make for two very exciting games for fans in November and we are excited to play both games in Frankfurt, a city steeped in NFL history and with a significant NFL fan following,” added Dr. Alexander Steinforth, GM. NFL Germany.

“The League extends our sincere thanks to our partners at the DFL (Bundesliga), the City of Frankfurt and Eintracht Frankfurt for supporting these two games, and we are delighted that the Frankfurt Stadium will host such iconic teams in our sport in the autumn. ‘

There will be no game in Mexico City this year due to renovations at Azteca Stadium.