NFL Denies Josh Jacobs’ Claims in Video About Eagles, Packers Wearing Green in Brazil

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs caused a stir when he said during an appearance on the Green Light podcast that his team and the Philadelphia Eagles were warned not to wear green when they play their 2024 season opener in Brazil due to gang relations and soccer rivalries.

However, Front Office Sports’ Daniel Kaplan reported on Friday that an NFL spokesperson denied the claims made by Jacobs, saying they were “false.”

The Packers and Eagles will be playing at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo in what will be the first NFL game ever played in Brazil. Jacobs was apparently under the impression that there would be safety concerns.

“You know, they said that the part of Brazil we’re going to, you can’t even wear green at. They said, I guess, something to do with the gangs and stuff,” he told former Eagles defensive end Chris Long, adding, “They said, we’re not going to Rio. They was like, ‘Man, it’s one of them places where they probably won’t even let us leave the hotels.'”

However, Jacobs was apparently a bit misinformed, as the league has since responded to the matter.

Corinthians Arena is the home venue of the Brazilian soccer club SC Corinthians, which has a longstanding rivalry with Palmeiras, whose primary color is green. The Guardian reported that Corinthians have “an informal ban on the color green” based on the rivalry. In 2021, a Corinthians player even received a fine for wearing green boots.

Still, The Guardian noted that international teams playing in the arena have previously worn the color green with no issue.

Player safety is obviously a top priority in the NFL, but it sounds like the league doesn’t believe this is much of a concern ahead of the Week 1 matchup between the Packers and Eagles.