Football in Frankfurt: Five faces at the Patriots appearance
The football hype in Germany shows no signs of abating. There were already over three million ticket requests for Frankfurt in the summer and this Sunday there will be three consecutive live games on RTL's main program. It hardly matters that the six-time Super Bowl winner New England Patriots no longer have much to do with the champion version of yesteryear. Who to look out for in the clash between the Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday (3.30 pm/DAZN and RTL).
Bill Belichick
What's happening to the success coach par excellence? The Patriots have Bill Belichick to thank for six Super Bowl titles, but since the departure of Tom Brady in 2020, things haven't been going so well. When asked about his future, the 71-year-old head coach is tight-lipped. Does he think he's already playing for his job against the Colts? "I'll control what I can control and prepare our team for the Colts game," Belichick replied. The Colts have lost seven of nine games so far this season.
Shane Steichen
The Indianapolis Colts coach may only be 38 years old, but he already has Super Bowl experience. Last season, he worked for the Philadelphia Eagles, whose offense he coordinated. Although Steichen is the boss at the Colts, he does not have the same quality of players as the Eagles with star player Jalen Hurts.
Roger Goodell
If the 50,000 seats in Eintracht Frankfurt's soccer stadium are full again this Sunday, Roger Goodell will be delighted. The NFL's expansion plans are moving forward. The three games played this season in Germany are likely to be just the beginning. "I believe that there will still be games in Germany after 2025. We will not say goodbye to the markets that have been important for our growth," the league boss told dpa. In addition to Munich and Frankfurt, other locations - for example Berlin - could then also come into play.
Ezekiel Elliott
There were times when superstar Brady, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski shaped the Patriots' game. The traditional club has not only declined in terms of success, but also in the quality of its players. One of the current stars is running back Ezekiel Elliott, who formed a strong duo with playmaker Dak Prescott for several years in Dallas. After his release from the Cowboys, the Patriots acquired the strong running pro this summer.
Oliver Bierhoff
The virtual background during video calls still reminds Oliver Bierhoff of his time at the German Football Association. The DFB campus in Frankfurt is clearly visible behind Bierhoff. Just a few kilometers away, the ex-professional will be sitting in the stadium on Sunday to watch what his Patriots are offering the German public. Bierhoff has been an advisor to the club since October and is tasked with driving forward activities in Germany. "It's incredibly interesting for me to look behind the scenes at the Patriots and open the line to America," said Bierhoff.
- Despite the New England Patriots' decline from their champion days, the clash against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday is still highly anticipated, drawing over three million ticket requests and three consecutive live games on RTL's main program.
- Bill Belichick, the 71-year-old head coach of the Patriots, is a six-time Super Bowl winner, but since the departure of Tom Brady in 2020, his future with the team is uncertain, with many questioning if he's playing for his job against the Colts.
- The Indianapolis Colts coach, Shane Steichen, is just 38 years old, but he has Super Bowl experience, having worked for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, where he coordinated their offense with star player Jalen Hurts.
- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is excited about the potential of expansion in Germany, with the three games played this season just the beginning, and he believes that there will still be games in Germany after 2025, with Munich and Frankfurt likely to continue as hosting locations, with Berlin also possibly becoming involved.
- Ezekiel Elliott, the running back for the New England Patriots, is one of the current stars of the traditional club and formed a strong duo with playmaker Dak Prescott for several years in Dallas before joining the team this summer after his release from the Cowboys.
Source: www.dpa.com
