The NFL is moving ahead with its Steelers-Saints game in Paris, and that decision has sparked pushback from some corners as France deals with widespread unrest.
T.J. Watt’s wife, Dani, made her feelings clear on Monday after sharing a CBS Pittsburgh post on her Instagram story that carried the headline: “The NFL says it is continuing forward with plans for the upcoming Steelers-Saints game amid unrest in Paris.” She added her own reaction to the league’s position with a blunt question:
“Tell me how this makes sense???”
The criticism came after a weekend of turmoil in France. More than 550,000 people took to the streets to protest the high cost of living and low-quality public services. CNBC reported that around 2,400 people were arrested, dozens of shops were damaged or looted, and over 1,000 police officers were injured.
Even with that backdrop, the league’s plans have not changed. On Sunday, ESPN analyst Adam Schefter posted the NFL’s statement on X, saying the league was staying in close contact with local officials and emphasizing that there had been no disruption at league sites:
“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.”
The Saints arrived in Paris on Monday ahead of the Week 7 matchup, and the game has already drawn more attention than usual. Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy also criticized the NFL’s choice to keep the event on schedule.
Not everyone is against the move, though. Saints executive Greg Bensel backed the league’s approach in a statement Schefter shared on X on Sunday:
“We concur with the NFL’s statement and are planning to play the game. In addition to working closely with the NFL, we have also maintained daily security updates with our security partners in France. Members of our football operations staff and internal security team have been on the ground in France for the past few days, and there has been no disruption or impact at any of our team sites.”
The Steelers enter the game at 4-2 after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. The Saints are 2-4 following their win over the New York Giants.
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