NFL Aiming To Play Eight International Games In 2026

The 2025 regular season schedule includes seven games played outside the United States. The CBA allows for eight such contests per year, and the maximum should be expected for next season.

[RELATED: NFL Still Eyeing 16 Annual International Games]

During an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Albert BreerGerrit Meier – who serves as the NFL’s managing director of the international department – said the league is “pretty confident” the full eight-game slate for overseas contests will be included for 2026. It is already known a first ever game in Australia will take place next year, while a new deal was recently worked out for at least three games to be played in Rio de Janeiro over the next five years. It would also come as no surprise if a return to Dublin were to take place in short order after this year’s debut there.

“The ambition to go international itself, it’s not a new ambition,” Meier said. “I think the point we’ve gotten ourselves to now is, O.K., how has the world changed? And if we truly want to be a global sport, what are the different elements that go into that? And we’ve seen that just having a game, that’s not enough. Just having media, that’s not enough. So just talking about the various elements, we realized there’s something bigger.”

Indeed, the NFL’s efforts to grow the game in international markets has included more than staging games over a span of several years and in various cities. As Meier informed Breer, the league is set to open a headquarters in Spain. That will make it the eighth country outside the United States to house such a venue, joining Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, China and Australia in that regard. Madrid will play host to the Dolphins-Commanders game in Week 12 this year.

Given the long-running efforts to expand the NFL’s reach in Europe, the possibility of one or more franchises based there has been a talking point. According to Meier, though, an international team and/or division is not a “front burner” matter at this point. Instead, expanding into other markets – commissioner Roger Goodell has named Asia as a potential target in that respect – remains a clear priority, with Europe sill a high priority.

On that note, Meier confirmed the league is still interested in holding games in France in the future. He added Italy is another country the NFL is “exploring.” With further increases in the total number of overseas games played on an annual basis expected, the list of potential destinations for international contests continues to grow as well.

Commanders, Jets, Ravens To Meet With Drake Jackson

The 49ers’ top draftee in 2022, Drake Jackson did not deliver on his second-round investment. A knee injury derailed the USC product, who has not played in nearly two years.

Jackson went down in November 2023, being shut down by Week 9. At the time, the 49ers did not declare the defensive end out for the season. But as the team’s playoff outlook came into focus, Kyle Shanahan made it clear Jackson would not be part of it. Jackson then spent the 2024 season on the 49ers’ reserve/PUP list, inviting concern about his NFL future since that placement came about as a result of a 2023 injury.

After being given the season-ending PUP designation during training camp, Jackson received his walking papers from the 49ers in May. No updates had tied Jackson to teams since, but that has changed. The former No. 61 overall pick has returned to full health, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who reports the recovering edge rusher has booked three visits as a result. The Commanders, Jets and Ravens have scheduled meetings with Jackson, who will huddle up with those interested clubs beginning this weekend.

When available in San Francisco, Jackson was moderately productive. Logging a 33% snap rate as a backup in 2022, Jackson tallied three sacks. In 2023, Jackson added three more on a 38% snap rate. That production came in nine games, as the 6-foot-4 D-end was done by midseason.

The 49ers have made two sets of offseason moves since Jackson’s injury, signing Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos in 2024 and then adding Mykel Williams in Round 1 before trading for Bryce Huff this offseason. The latter duo, with Floyd since cut, is playing a bigger-than-expected role due to Nick Bosa‘s Week 3 ACL tear.

Washington carried a big EDGE need into the summer but did add Von Miller ahead of his age-36 season. Miller has 1.5 sacks and three QB hits through four games, with Dorance Armstrong leading the team with three sacks. Washington has lost Deatrich Wise for the season, however. Ravaged by defensive injuries, the Ravens have been without Kyle Van Noy for two games. They only have four sacks on the season; contract-year EDGE Odafe Oweh is sackless thus far. Jermaine Johnson returned from injury to complement Will McDonald in New York this season. Johnson does not have a sack, having missed the past two games due to a concussion.

Jackson, of course, does not exactly profile as an immediate fix for EDGE-needy teams. The knee injury threw off his developmental track. A practice squad invite may be Jackson’s more likely route here, but significant interest emerging does point to the 2022 draftee receiving another chance soon.

Jets RB Braelon Allen To Miss 8-12 Weeks

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) that running back Braelon Allen is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks due to the knee injury that landed him on injured reserve on Thursday.

Allen could opt to rehab his knee with or without surgery, per Glenn, with the same timetable for both options. That will keep the 2024 fourth-round pick sidelined until the very end of November at the earliest.

Allen’s injury, believed to be an MCL sprain, will set back a sophomore campaign that was seen as an opportunity for the 21-year-old after playing second fiddle to Breece Hall as a rookie. Regime change is often accompanied by roster turnover, and the new leadership could let Hall – a second-round pick under previous general manager Joe Douglas – walk in free agency and install Allen as the team’s future starter.

Hall has gotten off to a strong start this year, and Allen’s injury will likely rob him of the chance to impress his new coaches. Hall did not emerge as an extension candidate, as of this summer, but rumblings about an in-season trade will likely cease following this Allen news.

Allen’s timetable is on the high end for MCL sprains, but these injuries can be tricky. While Allen’s 2025 season stands to be marred by this malady, time remains on the running back’s side. The Wisconsin alum played his entire rookie season at age 20, and the Jets will have his age-22 and age-23 campaigns (perhaps with Hall elsewhere) to continue this evaluation. Allen finished with 334 rushing yards on 92 carries last season, playing in all 17 Jets games. He is at 76 (on 18 totes) thus far this year.

This will deplete an offense already lacking for auxiliary playmakers beyond Hall and Garrett Wilson. With Allen on IR and RB/return specialist Kene Nwangwu missing practice this week with a hamstring injury, the Jets will likely make a roster move to fill out their Week 5 backfield depth chart. Only Hall and Isaiah Adams are healthy options going into the team’s Cowboys matchup.

Chosen one round after Allen in last year’s draft, Adams gained 174 rushing yards on 30 handoffs as a rookie. The South Dakota State product will be expected to play a bigger role with Allen out of the picture. Rookie UDFA Lawrance Toafili is the only running back on Gang Green’s practice squad. Toafili has yet to make his NFL debut.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Brock Purdy Suffered Setback With Turf Toe Injury, Could Miss Week 6

OCTOBER 3: Shanahan confirmed (via Cam Inman of the Bay Area Sports Group) that Purdy re-aggravated his injury and will again be week-to-week moving forward.

“[I] don’t know how it will heal,” added Shanahan.

The 49ers can be patient with Purdy’s recovery, as Jones has played well in his three starts, including a 342-yard, two-touchdown perfomance on Thursday night against the Rams. However, the team’s financial commitment to Purdy will likely stave off any chance of a quarterback controversy. Instead, Jones could follow in Sam Darnold‘s footsteps and parlay his success in San Francisco into a starting gig elsewhere.

OCTOBER 2: While it sounded like a short turnaround was the main reason for Brock Purdy‘s absence from tonight’s Week 5 contest, the 49ers QB may actually be sidelined for more than just this week. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Purdy suffered a setback with his turf toe injury and is now considered week-to-week.

Per Rapoport, the quarterback reported soreness following his return in Week 4. The player later underwent an MRI, which revealed an aggravation of his lingering injury. As a result, Purdy is now at risk of missing more than just Week 5, with Rapoport hinting that the 25-year-old could also sit out the 49ers’ Week 6 matchup against the Buccaneers.

Purdy missed Weeks 2 and 3 while dealing with the turf toe injury. He returned for Week 4 and didn’t miss a snap, but he informed coach Kyle Shanahan of some soreness following the loss. Shanahan noted that Purdy and the team had to navigate “a totally different element” considering the four-day turnaround before Thursday Night Football, and after being listed as a non-participant on Monday, the quarterback was later ruled out for Week 5.

Now, it sounds like Purdy is at risk of missing at least his fourth game of the 2025 campaign. The former Mr. Irrelevant has generally stayed healthy throughout his career. He suffered a torn UCL as a rookie during the NFC Championship Game but managed to return for 16 games as a sophomore. He also missed a pair of games in 2024 thanks to shoulder and elbow injuries.

In two games this season, Purdy has completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 586 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. After tossing 31 touchdowns as a sophomore, Purdy finished the 2023 campaign with 20 touchdown passes. The QB inked a five-year, $265MM extension with the 49ers back in May.

Mac Jones will continue to start for the 49ers as long as Purdy is sidelined. The former first-round pick has guided the 49ers to a pair of wins through his first two starts, tossing four touchdowns vs. only one interception.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving Battling Foot Sprain

OCTOBER 3: Irving will miss the Buccaneers’ Week 5 matchup with the Seahawks; the team ruled him out. He missed practice all week and is at risk of being sidelined for the team’s Week 6 contest as well, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

OCTOBER 2: One of the NFL’s biggest running back success stories in recent years, Bucky Irving commandeered the Buccaneers’ starting job last year and entered this season as the unquestioned leader of the team’s backfield. Irving delivered a strong performance in Tampa Bay’s narrow loss to Philadelphia in Week 4.

Irving came out of that game worse for wear, however, and is battling two injuries. Suiting up for Week 5 will be an uphill battle for the second-year player, as NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport indicate the player is gathering medical options on an injury ESPN’s Adam Schefter later labeled a foot sprain. Although Irving came out of Sunday’s game with a shoulder malady as well, the foot issue is the one that would stand to impede a return against the Seahawks.

The former fourth-round pick was spotted on crutches and with a walking boot on his injured left foot, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, while Todd Bowles said the boot will need to be shed by Friday if he is to consider deploying his starter against the Seahawks. IR does not appear a consideration just yet, with Irving labeled day-to-day, but gathering medical opinions and an ultimatum on a walking boot do not present positive signs for the RB’s Week 5 availability.

This creates an issue for the Bucs, who have seen Irving become a regular producer since he usurped Rachaad White in the backfield. The team is also already without offensive regulars Mike Evans, Luke Goedeke, Cody Mauch and Jalen McMillan.

Joining Bo Nix in transferring to Oregon in 2022, Irving landed in Tampa after his Day 3 draft arrival. Despite mid-round status, the ex-Minnesota recruit impressed with a 1,122-yard rushing season as a rookie. Irving also added 392 receiving yards, becoming an all-around option for Baker Mayfield. Irving managed 1,514 scrimmage yards despite starting only three 2024 games. Only Alvin Kamara (1,554) tops that among rookies with three or fewer starts throughout NFL history.

Irving also managed this with a 5-foot-10, 195-pound frame. His size created moderate concern about durability, but the Bucs gave him 254 touches last season. He has impressed in Year 2, totaling 430 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. One of those came on a 72-yard toss from Mayfield against the Eagles.

If Irving cannot go, White looms as the next man up. The Bucs’ starter in 2023 and for most of 2024, White is in a contract year and likely to depart — thanks to Irving’s emergence — in 2026. Though, the Bucs sure have displayed a penchant for re-signing their own in recent years, potentially not shutting the door on White staying. White is averaging an impressive 4.7 yards per carry, but that has come on 23 totes compared to Irving’s 71. The Bucs have given Irving at least 20 touches in three straight games. Sean Tucker, a third-year UDFA, would be White’s backup/change-of-pace option if Irving sits.

Titans’ Coaching Staff Growing Uneasy?

The Titans have nosedived since their 2021 divisional-round appearance brought nine Joe Burrow sacks but a Bengals win. Since, the team has finished 7-10, 6-11 and 3-14. This season shows no signs of that trend reversing, as Tennessee is 0-4 and coming off a shutout loss.

Houston blanked its division rival in a 26-0 Week 4 result, and Tennessee has lost three of its four games by at least 14 points. The Titans rank 32nd in offense and 28th defensively. Finding bright spots is difficult here, leading to natural speculation Brian Callahan is coaching for his job. Some internal buzz further points to that.

Entering Week 5, moderate concerns exist among the Titans’ coaching staff the front office may not be as patient as initially believed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Although Titans brass came into the season confident Callahan could turn the ship around and did not set a win-loss benchmark for its coach to keep his job, per Fowler, team brass obviously wants to see an improving squad. That has not happened, and Fowler indicates the feeling around the league points to the temperature rising here.

Deck chairs are already being rearranged. Callahan benched himself as play-caller, going around his OC (Nick Holz) to give the duty to QBs coach Bo Hardegree. This reminds of an ill-conceived 2022 Broncos setup, when Nathaniel Hackett turned to QBs coach Klint Kubiak over OC Justin Outten due to the former’s play-calling experience. (Denver fired Hackett after Week 16; Outten was in Tennessee weeks later.) Holz’s lack of play-calling experience compared to Hardegree, the Raiders’ interim OC during the second half of the 2023 season, influenced Callahan’s call.

Hardegree’s debut with the call sheet did not go well, and Cam Ward then criticized his play and the performance of the team as a whole postgame. The Titans’ minus-69 point differential is the league’s worst, and a defense that ranked second in yardage in Dennard Wilson‘s debut (as Will Levis‘ poor play contributed to the team’s 30th-place scoring defense ranking) now sits 25th.

Callahan is also in the interesting position of being a second-year coach for a team that made another power-structure shift this offseason. Ran Carthon hired Callahan last year, but Amy Adams Strunk fired Ran Carthon in January, promoting assistant GM Chad Brinker to president of football operations. Brinker was in Nashville when Callahan was hired, but he had been operating as Carthon’s top lieutenant at the time. Brinker being promoted to control the Titans’ roster was somewhat eyebrow-raising after a 3-14 season, but he and new GM Mike Borgonzi are not tied to Callahan in the way Carthon was.

In a normal circumstance, offensive line coach Bill Callahan‘s past as a head coach (with the Raiders and at Nebraska) would make him a candidate as an interim option. Bill Callahan served in that capacity after Washington fired Jay Gruden in 2019. Bill being Brian’s father would certainly make it shocking if he stuck around, however, leaving an experience void for the Titans were they to can the younger Callahan (and likely lose Bill from the staff as well).

Neither Wilson nor Holz has conducted a head coaching interview previously. Senior offensive assistant Mike McCoy served as Chargers HC for four years; he could be an emergency option.

Even if Brian Callahan shows some improvement, he is certainly a long-odds candidate to be given a third season. Game management issues have cropped up during the former Bengals OC’s tenure as well, and Ward would need to show major improvement to convince Adams Strunk — who has acted rather impulsively in the past, with the Mike Vrabel and Jon Robinson firings preceding Carthon’s two-and-done stint — to stay the course beyond 2025.

Bengals Express Confidence In Jake Browning; Team Unlikely To Make QB Trade?

One of the worst Bengals two-game stretches in years came between Weeks 3 and 4 this season, when Zac Taylor‘s team was outscored 76-13 in losses to the Vikings and Broncos. Although Cincinnati won its Week 2 game after Joe Burrow‘s injury, they have not remotely kept pace since.

The Bengals did not cross midfield during the final three quarters Monday night in Denver. After submitting surprisingly productive work in relief of Burrow down the stretch in 2023, Jake Browning has struggled. The veteran backup is on a two-year, $1.95MM deal. While that contract would support the Bengals pursuing a veteran as a potential upgrade, Burrow’s $55MM-per-year extension brings a complication for a franchise not known for in-season trade pickups.

Cincinnati has only acquired two players — offensive lineman B.J. Finney and running back Khalil Herbert — in-season via trade over the past 53 years. Many around the league are indeed skeptical the team would change its stripes for a quarterback, the Washington Post’s Mark Maske notes.

Doubt about Cincy going after a QB is generally based on the organization’s M.O. Despite the payments going to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this offseason, the team again took criticism for thriftiness during the Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart standoffs. Although it would stand to reason Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins would be an upgrade on Browning, Taylor reaffirmed his confidence in his backup following the 28-3 Broncos loss. Taylor said he has “a ton” of confidence in Browning and is unwavering in his faith in Burrow’s multiyear backup.

If Browning continues to produce duds, it would stand to reason the Bengals consider upgrading. They did not show such interest following Burrow’s injury, however. Browning’s knowledge of Taylor’s system works in his favor, but the team will need to show immediate progress if it is to salvage the season and make a late-season Burrow return from toe surgery worthwhile. Burrow has been mentioned as a candidate to come back potentially in December, but if the Bengals continue to play like they did in Minnesota and Denver, a reemergence would not make much sense.

Wilson is on just a $2MM base salary, meaning the Bengals would only be responsible for a prorated amount. The Giants gave the since-benched passer an $8MM signing bonus, covering the bulk of his $10.5MM deal. New York having gone to Jaxson Dart makes Wilson an obvious trade candidate, with Jameis Winston signed through 2026 as a backup option. The team going to Dart makes one of the veterans redundant, and Wilson has indeed circulated as a trade chip. Given the investments the Bengals have made in Chase and Higgins — to go with Hendrickson being given a contract-year raise but not an extension — it would make sense if they pursued Wilson due to his experience and low base salary.

Cousins would seemingly be a nonstarter, as the Falcons are still holding onto the NFL’s most expensive (by far) backup. Atlanta has not displayed a willingness to pay down much (if any) of Cousins’ salary ($27.5MM), continuing a refrain from the offseason.

Cousins looked for a way out in March and April, but nothing materialized. It had long been assumed a high-profile injury would be necessary for Cousins to escape Atlanta, but unless the Falcons agree to pay down almost all of his base pay, it would be hard to see the Bengals eyeing him as a Burrow emergency replacement.

For in-house options, the Bengals have Brett Rypien as their active-roster backup and Mike White and Sean Clifford stashed on the practice squad. None of the other arms is close to matching Browning’s experience under Taylor, with each being acquired late in the summer (Rypien) or following Burrow’s injury (Clifford, White). For now, the team will continue to hope Browning can improve. The team faces the Lions, Packers, Steelers, Jets and Bears before its bye week.

Anthony Richardson Open To Developing Under Offensive Coach

It seems like the Anthony Richardson experiment in Indianapolis is over.

The No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft only played 15 games in his first two seasons and lost a training camp battle to Daniel Jones this year. Jones’ success at the helm of a Colts offense that is mostly unchanged from their last two campaigns has seemingly made it clear that Richardson was simply not ready for a starting role.

The Colts have seemingly decided to move on from Richardson at some point. They won’t pick up his $22.9MM fifth-year option for the 2027 season (via OverTheCap) and could even try to trade him in the next year before his rookie contract expires.

Teams may even have interest at this season’s trade deadline. There is no doubt that Richardson has struggled to start his career, but his physical traits will remain tantalizing for any coach who believes that they can get the best out of him. Acquiring him this year (as opposed to in the offseason) will allow him to get acclimated in a new system and hit the ground running in 2026.

Such a path forward might be appealing to Richardson, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who mentioned Sean McVay and the Rams as a potential possibility. Retirement rumors have followed Matthew Stafford in the past two offseason, and Richardson could be a low-cost lottery ticket for future starter.

The Steelers come to mind as a team in a similar situation with Aaron Rodgers, though offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has not fielded a top-10 unit since his time in Tennessee. The Raiders also have an uncertain future under center beyond 34-year-old Geno Smith. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and minority owner Tom Brady could be part of the appeal in Las Vegas.

Of course, this is all assuming that there is a team who wants Richardson and a desire from both Richardson and the Colts to part ways. That does not seem to be the case quite yet, though offers of opportunity for the former and draft capital for the latter may be enough to change their minds.

Giants Unlikely To Pursue WR Addition

The Giants have a gaping hole in their receiving corps after losing No. 1 target Malik Nabers to a season-ending ACL tear in last Sunday’s upset win over the Chargers. However, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com hears that the Giants will not seek an outside addition, as a source told him, “There are no replacements for Malik Nabers. You can’t replace that guy.”

It’s hard to argue with that. The 22-year-old Nabers emerged as one of the NFL’s premier receivers as a rookie in 2024 despite subpar quarterback play. The former sixth overall pick from LSU hauled in 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago. He opened this season with another 18 catches, 275 yards, and two scores in parts of four games while mostly working with Russell Wilson.

The Giants will now have to wait until 2026 to see if Nabers and newly named starter Jaxson Dart, a rookie first-round pick, will be able to form a franchise-altering rapport. Dart hit Nabers twice for 20 yards last week before the wideout went down for the year.

With Nabers out of commission, the Giants are set to audition free agent Samori Toure on Friday. That would be a low-end depth pickup, though, as Toure has a mere 13 catches on his resume since the Packers chose him in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. He hasn’t even appeared in a regular-season game since 2023.

Assuming the 1-3 Giants don’t venture outside the organization for an impact pass catcher, it could provide Jalin Hyatt an opportunity to finally establish himself. In doing so, Hyatt would give the Giants a useful complement to their top two healthy receivers, Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton.

The Giants spent a third-round pick on Hyatt in 2023, but the move hasn’t gone according to plan. The former Tennessee standout caught 23 of 40 targets for 373 yards over 17 scoreless games as a rookie in 2023. Hyatt followed that up with an eight-catch, 62-yard, zero-touchdown showing in 16 games last year. Despite the underwhelming start to Hyatt’s career, general manager Joe Schoen reportedly rebuffed interested teams when they asked about him before the season.

While Schoen wouldn’t move Hyatt during the summer, he has been a non-factor so far in 2025. The 24-year-old has played in two games, logged 35 snaps, and failed to record a catch. Nevertheless, Hyatt is confident he’ll rise to the occasion in the wake of Nabers’ injury.

“I knew I’d get my chance this year — just didn’t know when,” Hyatt said this week (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). “Can’t wait for the opportunity I’ve been waiting a long time for. Now, just have to take advantage of it.”

Hyatt also expressed optimism that he and Dart will continue building on a connection that began forming when the two were on the Giants’ scout team earlier in the season. They’ll have a chance to carry that over into this Sunday’s game against the winless Saints.

Packers Have Interest In Extending WR Romeo Doubs

While Romeo Doubs once appeared to be the odd man out in the Packers receivers room, the veteran could soon be the recipient of an extension. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the organization has “interest in potentially extending” the wide receiver. The reporter adds that the two sides have had “cursory talks” about the impending free agent’s future in Green Bay.

[RELATED: Packers Sign Christian Watson To Extension]

It was only a year ago that Doubs was hit with a one-game suspension by the Packers for missing practices due to personal reasons. We later heard that Green Bay’s front office discussed trade scenarios involving Doubs during the offseason. Fowler notes that the organization has since “shown no interest in trading him,” and Packers brass would actually prefer to hand the former fourth-round pick a second contract.

Of course, that may be easier said than done. As Fowler notes, Doubs could be emerging as the top WR in this upcoming offseason’s free agency class. The 25-year-old will be joined by the likes of Mike Evans, Jakobi Meyers, and Jauan Jennings, but Doubs’ age means he could be in line for more term and more money. Fowler points to Khalil Shakir‘s four-year, $53MM deal with the Bills as the type of contract that’s seeming increasingly unlikely to be signed by Doubs, an indication that the Packers wideout could be eyeing a contract worth at least $15MM annually.

While the Packers may be interested in securing Doubs on a team-friendly contract, they may not feel the urgency to overspend on the impending free agent. After inking Christian Watson to a recent extension, the team has the rest of their depth under contract through at least the 2026 season. Watson, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks will all be free agents in 2027, but the team used recent draft picks on first-round WR Matthew Golden and third-round WR Savion Williams.

As the Packers navigate a number of injuries to their receivers corps at the moment, Doubs has stepped up for the organization. The wideout is tied with Josh Jacobs for the team lead in rushing/receiving touchdowns (four), and he’s been the team’s second-most reliable pass catcher behind tight end Tucker Kraft. The Nevada product’s best NFL season came in 2023, when he hauled in 59 catches for 674 yards and eight touchdowns.