This article was written by Karen Crouse and published on Sport & State, a new media company founded by Clay Travis that is built around sports, culture, original voices, and live conversation.
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The lead-up to the NFL‘s inaugural game in France unfolded like a last-play Hail Mary pass. Launched by Roger Goodell, the ball got batted around and around, back and forth, in the end zone, ominously, balefully, until it fell into the hands of a receiver for the game-winning score. That the league pulled off the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints, which the Steelers won 16-10, doesn’t change that the NFL’s playbook was poorly conceived and imperfectly executed.
We’re likely never to know all the behind-the-scenes machinations — how much U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio factored into the week’s game plan and how many French police officers were diverted from protecting French citizens to ensure that Goodell’s gambit was a success.
To dismiss the pre-game concerns for the safety of the NFL cleats on the turf in Paris as a media creation is to conveniently overlook that 70,000 police officers were positioned on the streets Saturday to prevent a repeat of the weekend before, when the country experienced the worst civil unrest it has seen in more than 50 years. It is also to pooh-pooh that Parisian businesses were hiring private security to protect their stores from looters and other bad actors.
Should the NFL be playing a game in Paris this weekend given the riots in the country? Discussion with @willcain. https://t.co/3JSW1n0P4a
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 20, 2026
The NFL lucked out that despite Paris being on high alert all week, the only pillaging seen at Stade de France on Sunday was by Steelers linebacker TJ Watt, who appeared to strip sack New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough in the second quarter, only to have the fumble recovery overturned when an expedited replay review determined Shough was down by contact. Watt settled for the sack and the Saints settled for a field goal that tied the game at 3-3.
Watt, who also had two tackles, was clearly able to compartmentalize the worries that troubled his wife, Dani, one of the few in the NFL family to break from the party line to express concern early in the week about the game going forward.
BREAKING: #Steelers star TJ Watt’s wife Dani is questioning the #NFL for moving forward with Sunday’s game against the #Saints in Paris amid violent protests and widespread unrest.
“Tell me how this one make sense???”
The #NFL plans to proceed despite safety concerns.
WOW. https://t.co/claQCyEj8r
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) October 20, 2026
Before he left for Paris, Goodell offered assurances that the city was safe, explaining that street protests “are not unusual in France.” That didn’t prevent the U.S. State Department from issuing a security alert for U.S. fans who planned to travel to the game and President Donald Trump from saying “the NFL could’ve probably postponed” the game.
To all those in the extended NFL family — fans, influencers, sportswriters and league officials — who posted pretty photographs of quiet streets, busy cafes and full wine glasses, those postcard images didn’t change that the NFL was compelled to shutter its pop-up shop on Friday, choosing a modicum of caution over an abundance of capitalism, and its NFL House on Saturday, citing “accessibility issues.” Well, sure, with 110,000 protesters swarming the streets like maggots to a carcass, it would be hard to navigate the streets.
According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), French police arrested close to 1,000 people across the country as officers were confronted with what Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described as “an extremely elevated level of violence” from black-clad extremists. Skirmishes between police and agitators broke out on the eastern edge of Paris, where police were seen using batons, tear gas and a water cannon to push back demonstrators.
Before the game, NFL Network sideline reporter Molly McGrath reported that the French police tripled its presence in the city Saturday and that there was “enhanced” security at the stadium, then turned the mic back to broadcaster Dave Pasch, who said, “We turn our attention to football.”
There were pregame fireworks, which given what the city has endured over the past month might have been a bit triggering for some of the Parisians in the stands. Both teams stood at attention for the playing of the national anthem — not just “The Star-Spangled Banner,” but also “Le Marseillaise,” performed by Nina Tonji, a unifying gesture in these fractious times. WNBA, take note.
Nina Tonji performs the national anthem of France live from @StadeFrance 🇫🇷 @NFLFrance
PITvsNO on NFL Network
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/1JBfVCNsfz— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, less than two months from his 43rd birthday, provided the on-field razzle dazzle. In the first half, he completed a 51-yard pass to DK Metcalf to set up a four-yard touchdown toss to Darnell Washington. With the scoring throw, the 540th of his career, Rodgers supplanted Peyton Manning at No. 3 on the NFL’s all-time TD passing list, behind Tom Brady and Drew Brees.
Rodgers also scrambled for a first down on third-and-six before the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter to all but seal the victory as the Steelers improved to 5-2.
“THE OLD MAN RIVERS DID IT AGAIN!”
#Steelers Aaron Rodgers picks up the first down with his legs just before the two minute warning. https://t.co/BBdvExuj46
— BenJarmin Munguia (@JustJarmin) October 25, 2026
The NFL Network crew was quick to point out that Rodgers became the first NFL player to throw touchdown passes in two different countries outside the United States, having thrown one last year in Ireland. Yeah, the NFL isn’t about to rethink its manifest destiny mission anytime soon.
Aside from an alleged food shortage in the stadium, the festivities went off without a hitch.
They have run out of food at Stade de France and have resorted to giving us full size bags of chips https://t.co/a3gRgbSldc
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) October 25, 2026
Rather than express relief that it got away with this triumph, NFL officials will surely take victory laps down the road in Japan and other far-flung places and bank on their success in the future not coming down to another Hail Mary pass.
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