Following Wednesday's announcement, we now know the lineups for the three regular season games being played in London this October. The Minnesota Vikings will take on the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 6 before the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars meet at the same venue on October 13. And the London games will round out at Wembley Stadium on October 20 as the Jags host the New England Patriots.
A is for… Aaron
After not playing in London in the first 17 years of his Hall of Fame career, Aaron Rodgers will return to the UK for the second time in three seasons to lead the New York Jets against Minnesota. Rodgers' Green Bay Packers lost 27-22 to the New York Giants in 2022, but he said after that game: "The fans were incredible. It was awesome. The whole thing was outstanding.
B is for… Back-To-Back Again!
For the second year in a row, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be playing back-to-back games in London. They will face the Chicago Bears at Tottenham on October 13 before hosting the New England Patriots at their traditional London home of Wembley Stadium on October 20. The Jags went 2-0 in London in 2023, defeating the Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills in successive weekends.
C is for… Caleb
The NFL's newest star will be playing in London during his first season with the Chicago Bears. Multi-talented quarterback Caleb Williams – who was compared to greats such as Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees before being selected first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft – will bring his dynamic style of play to Tottenham Hotspur on October 13 and the British fans are in for a real treat.
D is for… Double-Doink!
The last time the Minnesota Vikings played in London they secured a last-gasp 28-25 win over the New Orleans Saints at Tottenham in 2022. The Vikings had edged in front through Greg Joseph's 47-yard field goal with 24 seconds left. Will Lutz then double-doinked a 61-yarder off the post and the crossbar that fell no good as time ran out.
E is for… Etienne
Travis Etienne has become an offensive star of the Jacksonville Jaguars and will be instrumental in their contests against the Bears and Patriots this time around. At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season, Etienne rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns in a 25-20 win over the Buffalo Bills.
F is for… Fans
As has become a London tradition, all three regular season games will be sell-outs in 2024. And the great and passionate fans who gather at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium will, once again, make a significant impression on their visitors from America. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said of his 2023 London experience: "It was phenomenal. The atmosphere was crazy."
G is for… Griddy
Fans who watched the Vikings take on the Saints in 2022 were clamouring for superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson to break out his famed 'Griddy' celebration. And the NFL's best receiver duly delivered after scoring on a three-yard run in the second half. A similar rolling out of the iconic celebration would be very welcome in 2024. Given his outstanding skills, there is a strong chance that JJ finds the end zone.
H is for… Hall
The Jets' attack is not all centred around Aaron Rodgers. They boast one of the league's most explosive running backs in Breece Hall, who amassed 1,585 scrimmage yards (rushing and receiving) in 2023 and scored nine touchdowns. A threat to score from anywhere on the field, Hall is guaranteed to deliver some big plays in London when the Jets take on the Vikings.
I is for… International Growth
This year's games will be numbers 37, 38 and 39 played in London, and the UK has hosted all 32 NFL teams. There have also been regular season contests in Mexico and in both Munich and Frankfurt in Germany. This season's Germany game will see the Carolina Panthers face the New York Giants in Munich. From 2025, the NFL will play at least eight international games per season and will make their debut in Madrid, Spain. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says: ""This is a unique time in our history to advance our growth, particularly internationally. It may be the single-most important growth moment in our history."
J is for… Josh
One of the league's most explosive and dangerous defenders will be on display in London once again as Josh Allen, of the Jacksonville Jaguars, returns to one of his favourite NFL cities. Allen led the Jaguars with a career-high 17 ½ sacks in 2023 and was rewarded with a new $150 million contract that makes him one of the highest-paid defenders in the game. For Jacksonville, that is going to prove to be money well spent.
K is for… Kick Return Drama?
Will the NFL's new kick-off rules finally break the deadlock on a long-standing and somewhat surprising London games drought? Since the league began playing regular season contests in the UK in 2007, there has never been a kick-off or punt return touchdown on these shores. Who will write their name in the history books as the first?
L is for… Lawrence
Trevor Lawrence secured the first victory of his NFL career in London in 2021 when his Jacksonville Jaguars recorded a 23-20 win over the Miami Dolphins. The strong-armed, talented passer taken first overall in the 2021 NFL Draft has fared well in the capital, posting a 3-1 record in the UK. In addition to defeating the Dolphins, Lawrence has helped the Jags beat Atlanta and Buffalo (2023). His lone loss came to Denver in 2022.
M is for… McCarthy
The Vikings will be led by rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy when they take on the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. McCarthy brings a winning pedigree to the NFL having guided Michigan to national championship glory in college football just last season. The talented and exciting 21-year-old won 27 of his final 28 games in college and now he teams with exciting receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison as the Vikings turn to youth in their passing attack.
N is for… NFL Academy
October will not only be about the superstars of the NFL. It will also be a chance for the young international stars of tomorrow to shine on a big stage as the NFL Academy will take on California's De La Salle High School at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday October 8. Under the leadership of former NFL coach Steve Hagen, the NFL Academy recorded back-to-back victories over American opposition in the UK last autumn and will be aiming for more of the same in 2024. Make sure you get down to cheer them on!
O is for… One-Score Games
Don't even think about leaving a London game early! Of the last eight contests played in the UK, seven have been decided by one score (8 points or fewer). Let's hope for more evenly-fought contests and late drama in 2024.
P is for… Pat!
Look out for the Jacksonville Jaguars' number 88 when they play their two regular season games in London this October. International Player Pathway product Patrick Murtagh will be flying the flag for Australia after being signed by the Jags in March. The athletic tight end from the Gold Coast was an Aussie Rules footballer before being discovered as one of the league's latest international stars.
Q is for… Quinnen & Quincy
When the New York Jets take on the Minnesota Vikings, their traditionally-stout defense will be led by a pair of brothers in Quinnen and Quincy Williams. Quinnen, 26, is a playmaking defensive tackle who has made the Pro Bowl in each of his last two seasons. Older brother, Quincy, earned All-Pro honours at linebacker in 2023. The 27-year-old ranked second on the Jets with 139 tackles last season.
R is for… Rookie Stars
It's not just first-year quarterbacks in Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears), J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings) and Drake Maye (New England Patriots) who will be turning heads in London. There are other high-profile rookies who possess the skills to shine on an international stage. First-round wide receiver Rome Odunze (Chicago Bears) has been described as "a quarterback's best friend and the complete package." The Jaguars have also added a first-round wideout in Brian Thomas, of LSU. He led college football with 17 receiving touchdowns in 2023.
S is for… Sweat
The Bears made an astute mid-season move for pass-rusher Montez Sweat midway through the 2023 campaign and instantly rewarded the athletic defender with a contract extension worth $98 million. Sweat recorded six sacks in nine games with the Bears and has all the tools to be one of the league's most impactful defenders in 2024. In an entire 2023 season spread across the Bears and the Washington Commanders, Sweat recorded 12 ½ sacks, 72 quarterback pressures and was voted to the Pro Bowl.
T is for… Tight End Talent
Some very productive tight ends will be on the fields of London this autumn. Jacksonville's Evan Engram is coming off a 2023 season in which he recorded 114 catches, making him just the eighth tight end in the Super Bowl era to reel in more than 100 passes in a single campaign. Minnesota's T.J. Hockenson is a two-time Pro Bowler, Chicago's Cole Kmet had a career year in 2023 with 73 catches for 719 yards, Tyler Conklin ranked second on the Jets with 621 receiving yards and Hunter Henry led New England with six receiving touchdowns last term.
U is for… Unbeaten in London
The Vikings will put their perfect London record on the line when facing the Jets. Minnesota are 3-0 in the UK with those wins coming in three different stadiums with three different head coaches and three different starting quarterbacks. The Vikings defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers at Wembley Stadium in 2013, the Cleveland Browns at Twickenham in 2017 and the Saints at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2022.
V is for… Veteran Additions
There are some hugely productive veteran players heading to the UK later this year. Aaron Jones, a Pro Bowl running back who scored 63 touchdowns in seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers, has jumped to a division rival in the Minnesota Vikings. Also in the NFC North, the Bears added six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen to an impressive-looking attack. In 2023, Allen topped 100 catches in a season for the fifth time with the Los Angeles Chargers. In the trenches, the Jets added eight-time Pro Bowler and NFL Team of the Decade for the 2010s offensive tackle Tyron Smith
W is for… Wembley Wonders
The New England Patriots and their fans will be glad to return to Wembley when they face the Jaguars in October. The Patriots have twice played regular season games at the famous venue, heavily defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-7 in 2009 and thrashing the St. Louis Rams 45-7 in 2012. But those were the days of Tom Brady at quarterback, Rob Gronkowski at tight end and Bill Belichick at head coach. New England are now embarking on a new era with Drake Maye under center and Jerod Mayo on the sidelines.
X is for… X receiver talent
Not had enough wide receiver talent with previous mentions covering off Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Rome Odunze, Brian Thomas and Keenan Allen? Well, there is more X receiver talent heading to London in the form of Chicago's D.J. Moore and the Jets' Garrett Wilson. Moore is coming off a career year in which he caught 96 balls for 1,364 yards and nine touchdowns. His partnership with Caleb Williams should be thrilling. And Wilson has entered the league with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, despite less-than-stellar quarterback play. When Rodgers fires on all cylinders in 2023, Wilson is going to shine even brighter.
Y is for… Young Head Coaches
There will be a youthful look to some of the coaches leading their teams in London this year. A new era kicks off for the Patriots with former linebacker Jerod Mayo taking charge of his old club. The 38-year-old made more than 800 tackles in New England from 2008-2015 and was captain of the Super Bowl-winning team from the 2014 season. The 38-year-old Kevin O'Connell is preparing for his third season leading the Vikings and is forging a solid reputation as an excellent man-motivator and play-caller. Robert Saleh, 45, is in his fourth season in charge of the Jets and continues to field one of the league's best defenses.
Z is for… Zappe
Okay, give me a break here people! I think I've been pretty creative up until now with this A to Z, but the final letter of the alphabet was proving to be a real challenge. So, Z is for Bailey Zappe, who is likely to be the number two quarterback in New England this season. While we all hope to get a good look at mouth-watering rookie first-rounder Drake Maye at Wembley, London has seen a decent share of backup quarterbacks start games in the past. Mind you, Zappe is likely to be the third string behind Maye and Jacoby Brissett, so if he plays in London, things have gone badly wrong for the Pats !
