Xuenou > Sports > Five crazy things about the Seahawks-Buccaneers game in Germany
Five crazy things about the Seahawks-Buccaneers game in Germany
Five crazy things about the Seahawks-Buccaneers game in Germany,One thing is for sure: Fans in Germany are amped to watch some NFL action live and in person.

Five crazy things about the Seahawks-Buccaneers game in Germany

Tampa Bay, which is winless overseas (0-3), will play Seattle on Sunday in Munich — the NFL’s first game in Germany and first international matchup between the division leaders.

Here are five of the crazier notes about the game:

1. Ticket requests were insane

Head of NFL Germany Alexander Steinforth said that the stadium, FC Bayern’s Allianz Arena, could have sold more than 3 million tickets based on applicants. The stadium seats 67,000 fans.

“The place is going to be rocking,” Bucs QB Tom Brady said on his “Let’s Go!” podcast Monday. “If it’s anything like what I see in those German Bundesliga games, this is going to be one of the most epic games we’ve ever played in.”

2. Time travelers

The Seahawks crossed nine time zones and flew nearly 5,300 miles before landing in Munich. The Bucs crossed only six, but they still must travel nearly as far (4,996 miles) as Seattle because of Tampa’s southern latitude.

Seahawks fans on the West Coast must set their alarms early for the game, which will start at 6:30 a.m. PST. Bucs fans can sleep in. The game will start at 9:30 a.m. EST.

3. Tom Brady wanted to lure Gronk with brews

On his “Let’s Go!” podcast, Brady joked he tried to lure retired tight end Rob Gronkowski back with an interesting enticement.

“I heard the only thing you’re allowed to drink on the sidelines at these German games is beer,” Brady said. “Whoever thought, these huge steins of beer, of German lager. I actually tried to recruit Gronk back just for this game in particular. Hopefully, he goes for it.”

With a victory, Brady will become the first quarterback to win in four different countries — the United States, England, Mexico and Germany. Brady was 3-0 in international games with his former team, the Patriots.

Brady could also break Aaron Rodgers’ record for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception (402). The Bucs QB, who hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 1, has a streak of 373 passes without a pick. 

4. Seattle linebacker is from Germany, but he won’t play

Seattle linebacker Aaron Donkor, a member of the NFL International Player Pathway program, won’t play Sunday because of  NFL restrictions regarding rosters. He’ll still wave the German flag as he runs onto the field in front of his home crowd.

“To have him run down on the opening kickoff in his home country, how cool is that?” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.

Donkor was born and reared in Achern, Germany. He’s jacked to be back in his native country and introduce the culture to teammates.

5. The Germans are ready to party!

Germany, which recently surpassed Britain as the NFL’s largest market in Europe, has been preparing for the return of American football since its NFL Europe teams disbanded in 2007. Fans in Germany wake up at 2:30 a.m. on worknights to watch “Monday Night Football.”

“Game Pass has more subscribers, consumer products sell more in Germany than in the U.K., Madden video game sells more, TV rights are comparative,” Brett Gosper, NFL Head of U.K. and Europe, told the Associated Press.

Watch parties for the game have been organized in German cities, with bars decorated with American-style atmospheres. The Bucs, Chiefs, Patriots and Panthers, who all have international marketing rights in Germany, will host events throughout Munich in hopes of growing their fan bases.