There can be no denying that the NFL has been doing everything it can in the last 15 years or so to boost the popularity of American football overseas. Stateside, the gridiron reigns supreme. Elsewhere though, it lags somewhat behind association football - or soccer, we guess. All you need to do is check out the latest viewing figures.
At the culmination of 2022, Lionel Messi climbed his final peak as he led his beloved Argentina to a first FIFA World Cup triumph since the days of Diego Maradona some 36 years prior. And he did so with over 1.5bn viewers watching on. Just two months later and 113 million Americans plus a further 56m international fans were watching Patrick Mahomes rally his Kansas City Chiefs to overturn a ten-point half-time deficit and defeat the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LVII. And he may very well do the same this year, as the latest Super Bowl odds make the Missouri outfit the +500 joint-favorites to retain the Lombardi.
The international viewing figures were up 7% on the previous year and indicate that the NFL International series has been a resounding success. But which franchises have played the most overseas games? Let's take a look.
Jacksonville Jaguars
They may not be the most successful team in the league, but when it comes to overseas games, they reign supreme. The Jacksonville Jaguars have played a whopping 11 times outside of the United States, mostly in London. Owner Shahid Khan has a close relationship with the Big Smoke and also owns Premier League cub Fulham. He has indicated that he would like to move the Jags to the Capital on a permanent basis but so far, he will have to make do with playing up to three home games in the city every season. The Floridians have a hit-and-miss record in the UK. Of the 11 games they have played at both Wembley and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, they have won six and lost five. This season they successfully knocked off Josh Allen and his Buffalo Bills. they will be aiming to top the AFC South and secure a second consecutive postseason berth as the 2023 campaign draws to a close.
Miami Dolphins
In second place, we have the Miami Dolphins. They've played six games overseas and even participated in Germany earlier this season when they were narrowly knocked off by the reigning champion Chiefs at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt. They also participated in the first-ever overseas game at Wembley Stadium in 2007 when they faced off against a New York Giants side that would go on to defeat the perfect Patriots at Super Bowl XLII.
Las Vegas Raiders
Since relocating to Las Vegas, the Raiders have continued to make a name for themselves both in Sin City and overseas. They've played five games on foreign shores, however, none of them were under the Las Vegas moniker. All five games were when the city was known as the Oakland Raiders and on the hunt for a new home out of California. Just like the aforementioned Jaguars, the Raiders were looking to become the first team to be permanently located outside of the United States however, they ultimately settled on Vegas.
New England Patriots
If there’s one team that knows how to win, it’s the New England Patriots. With their four overseas games played, the Patriots have shown that they aren’t afraid to take on any challenge. In fact, they were 3-0 in overseas prior to the 2023 season, picking up dominant victories against the likes of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, and Las Vegas Raiders. They hadn't played outside of the States in six years up until the ongoing campaign, where they faced and lost to the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt.
Bill Belichick's side is far from the dominant force it once was. Ever since allowing Tom Brady to become a free agent, they have fallen down the league's pecking order, and the current season is their worst in decades. They are currently 2-8, rock bottom of the AFC, and with the worst record in the entire NFL.
Los Angeles Rams
Like the Jaguars and the Raiders before them, the then-St.Louis Rams played plenty of games overseas while looking for a new permanent home. They ultimately settled on Los Angeles and the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium, where they would win a Super Bowl in 2022. But before that, they were scouring international territories and gauging their potential. They played four games in London, with the latter three being under the City of Angels banner. They also had a game scheduled to be played against the Chiefs in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, but that was ultimately canceled.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last but certainly not least, we have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also with four overseas games. They lost the first three of those games in London before the aforementioned Brady led them to a 21-16 victory against the Seattle Seahawks at the Allianz Arena, home of FC Bayern Munich. The victory was the first-ever game to be played in Germany and was a resounding success, with further games planned for the future.
