It looks like the Cincinnati Bengals will stay within domestic borders this year.
On May 4, the NFL released its slate of 2022-2023 regular-season games that will take place in international stadiums, but the Bengals won't be part of the travel crew. Instead, matchups include Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints in London, New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers in London, Denver Broncos vs. Jacksonville Jaguars in London, Seattle Seahawks vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Munich, and San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals in Mexico City.
Yes, that means Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady – the new BFF of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow – is slated to play the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Germany. As long as he's not injured, Brady is poised to become the first NFL quarterback to have started four global battles. As quarterback for his longtime former team the New England Patriots, Brady had played in London in 2009 and 2012 and in Mexico City in 2017.
Brady revealed on March 13 that he was un-retiring from the NFL despite having announced his retirement on Feb. 1. The day before he shared his retirement plans – the first time, that is – Brady, who had played 20 seasons for the Patriots before moving to the Buccaneers in 2020, talked with the Burrow during an episode of the Let's Go! podcast. During the episode, Brady chatted with Burrow about his own 10 Super Bowl experiences (nine of those with the New England Patriots), imploring the young quarterback to stay the course while leading the Bengals into the team's first Super Bowl berth since 1989.
Speaking of Burrow, the Bengals being left off the international tour means that the team will head to New Orleans for their own matchup. Burrow played at Louisiana State University in 2018 and 2019, earning the Heisman Trophy and a host of other awards. Likewise, wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase excelled at LSU in 2018 and 2019 and earned numerous awards, including being named the best receiver in college football.
Both Burrow and Chase took home 2021-2022 season honors, with Burrow earning Comeback of the Year and Chase nabbing Offensive Rookie of the Year. Both were on hand, along with Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, for the Cincinnati Reds' home opener festivities on April 12.
To promote American football around the world, the NFL schedules several teams to play in London, Mexico City and now Munich each season. Games in the NFL International Series, which frequently sell out within days, are actual regular-season matchups rather than exhibition or pre-season games. In 2016, the Bengals played the then-Washington Redskins in London in what was the international series' first overtime game. The Bengals also played the Los Angeles Rams in London in 2019.
On Feb. 13, the Bengals lost 20-23 to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, Cincinnati's first shot at the Vince Lombardi trophy since 1989.
In February, the Bengals announced the team's home and away opponents for the upcoming season, and in addition to the game against New Orleans, the Bengals will battle Brady's Buccaneers. The NFL is expected to release the full season's calendar on May 12.
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