Dani Watt, wife of Pittsburgh Steelers star linebacker T.J. Watt, has questioned the NFL’s decision to keep the Steelers-New Orleans Saints game in Paris on the schedule while unrest continues across France.
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She shared a CBS Pittsburgh report which says: “The NFL says it is continuing forward with plans for the upcoming Steelers-Saints game amid unrest in Paris.”
This statement caught Dani’s attention, who later reposted it on her Instagram story, questioning, “Tell me how this one make sense???”
The game is set for Sunday, October 25, at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris, and it is the NFL’s first regular-season game in the city. The league has not moved it. In a statement, the NFL said preparations continue as scheduled.
“Preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France next Sunday,” the NFL said. “We continue to work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. We are also providing the two clubs with regular updates. There’s been no disruption or impact at league sites.”
Fans and analysts’ concerns come from what happened in France over the weekend. Protests over rising living costs and school conditions drew about 550,000 people on Saturday, October 17, by authorities’ count, and organizers put the number near 800,000. Some groups turned violent, setting fires, looting businesses and attacking public buildings. Police made at least 1,800 arrests nationwide, 855 of them in the Paris region, and more than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured.
In fact, looting was reported around Place de la République, roughly five miles from the stadium. However, the Saints spokesperson, Greg Bensel, released a statement saying the preparations are ongoing.
“We concur with the NFL’s statement and are planning to play the game,” Bensel told ESPN. “In addition to working closely with the NFL, we have also maintained daily security updates with our security partners in France.
On the Pittsburgh side, head coach Mike McCarthy said the team is in contact with the league, and the full roster joined a call with the league office that also included owner Art Rooney. The Steelers are due to leave for France on Thursday and arrive Friday morning.
For defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, to be in Paris and to play a game is going to be a pretty cool moment.
When asked about the concerns looming over the unrest, Graham kept it short, saying:
“Hey… got a game on Sunday.”
Plans are not locked in. Reports say the NFL could reconsider if the situation escalates, and a league source said a venue change can be considered. The Caesars Superdome in New Orleans is booked for another event that day, while the Steelers’ Acrisure Stadium has nothing scheduled.
The NFL has altered games for outside events before. Week 2 was postponed after the September 11, 2001, attack; a 1989 game was moved to Stanford Stadium after the Bay Area earthquake, and the Saints played their 2005 home schedule away from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. In 2016, the Panthers hosted the Vikings in Charlotte amid heavy police presence during protests.
The Saints are already in France, while the Steelers do not fly out until Thursday. By then, Dani Watt’s question may have an answer, and if not, kickoff at Stade de France is Sunday.