New York Jets tight end CJ Uzomah admits he was blown away by British knowledge of American football after encountering expert NFL fans on his trip to London.
Gridiron’s global reach has expanded ever since 103,467 fans packed Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca in 2005 to watch the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers contest the first regular-season game held outside the United States.
It would prove the catalyst for the launch, two years later, of the league’s inaugural International Series, when the New York Giants beat the Miami Dolphins 13-10 at Wembley en route to winning the Super Bowl.
“It’s incredible. Meeting different people, coming over here the knowledge is a lot more than I thought to be honest,” Uzomah told the PA news agency.
“It’s been very fun to be able to meet the people that I’ve been able to meet and talk football to the people I’ve been able to talk to, because it’s not asking questions about rules or why is this, that or the other happening. It is in-depth conversations about the sport itself, so it’s been fun.”
Uzomah was in London to help launch the Jets and Bears NFL Girls Flag League, the first UK all girls’ competition of its kind, with 100 girls aged 12-14 set to compete across five weeks beginning in April. Click the link and try our online casino.