Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen recently criticized the NFL’s international scheduling practices, calling his team’s 2023 trip to London a “nightmare” experience. Speaking on The Player’s Box Podcast, Allen detailed the challenges players face when competing overseas, including jet lag management and compressed recovery time. The quarterback emphasized his preference for minimizing travel disruption, suggesting that teams should arrive as close to game day as possible rather than traveling days in advance.
Allen’s frustration stemmed from the Bills’ Week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which Buffalo lost 25-20. Despite Allen’s solid individual performance—359 passing yards and two touchdowns—the team struggled with discipline, accumulating 11 penalties for 109 yards. However, Allen acknowledged that travel conditions alone cannot excuse poor performance, stating that professional athletes must execute regardless of scheduling circumstances.
The NFL has significantly expanded its international footprint in recent years. The 2026 season will feature a record nine international regular-season games across seven countries, with 2027 potentially bringing up to ten league-operated overseas contests annually. Teams typically arrive between Monday and Friday of game week, though early kickoff times—often 9:30 a.m. ET for London games—create additional challenges for player preparation and recovery.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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