Los Angeles Chargers, Justin Herbert To Play Kansas City Chiefs in NFL Brazil Game?

Former Oregon Ducks and current Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert will get his 2025 NFL season underway in Sao Paulo Brazil this September. Their expected opponent? Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Sep 29, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) shake hands after the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Sep 29, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) shake hands after the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert looks to be leading his Los Angeles Chargers to Brazil to take on the three-time defending AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs in Week One this NFL season. 

Front Office Sports reported on Saturday that the NFL is closing in on an agreement with YouTube to broadcast this season’s opening week game in Sao Paulo, Brazil with the Chargers being the designated home team, playing the Chiefs. 

NFL Heading Back To Brazil 

Sep 6, 2024; Sao Paulo, Brazil; A general overall view of the 2024 NFL Sao Paolo Game at Neo Quimica Arena. Mandatory Credit:
Sep 6, 2024; Sao Paulo, Brazil; A general overall view of the 2024 NFL Sao Paolo Game at Neo Quimica Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NFL had their first ever game played in Brazil in 2024. On a Friday night during Week One, the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles faced off. The Eagles defeated the Packers 34-29 in this historic game. A big story coming out of this game was the playing field causing numerous players on each team to slip.

Now, all signs are pointing towards the Chargers and Chiefs being the next two NFL teams to take the field in Sao Paulo. 

The NFL started their “International Series” in the 2007 season. This primarily consisted of a couple games each season in London, England. As the years have gone by, more and more international games have been added to the NFL’s schedule. The NFL has now played games in Mexico and Germany in addition to the United Kingdom. 

2025 will be the NFL’s biggest international year so far, playing seven regular season games off of American soil. There will be a game in Brazil, Ireland, Germany, Spain, and three games in the United Kingdom. 

With more of these international games being added every year, it looks like the league is on a path to eventually have an international game on each week of the regular season. 

Can Chargers Dethrone Chiefs In AFC West?

Sep 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) works out as head coach Jim
Sep 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) works out as head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs have dominated the AFC West for a decade. It has been nine straight seasons in which the Chiefs have won the division, dating back to the 2016-2017 season.  During this stretch, the Chargers have finished in second place four different times. Is this the year the Chargers finally take the AFC West crown from Kansas City?

That will be a tall task for quarterback Justin Herbert and coach Jim Harbaugh. Since taking over as the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018, Patrick Mahomes has a staggering record of 35-5 vs. the rest of the division. Against the Chargers specifically, Mahomes has a career record of 10-2. The Chiefs have been in the past three Super Bowls, winning two of them, and will be gunning to get back there for the fourth consecutive year. 

For the Chargers last season, they made the playoffs as a Wild Card in coach Jim Harbaugh's first season with a record of 11-6 before losing in the first round of the NFL Playoffs to the Houston Texans.

MORE: Dan Lanning Wows Peers, Wins Prestigious Stallings Award For Humanitarianism On Sentimental Evening

MORE: Miami Hurricanes Offer Highest NIL Package To 5-Star Recruit Jackson Cantwell?

MORE: Highest NIL Earning Recruiting Classes: Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Surprising Rankings


Published | Modified
Cory Pappas
CORY PAPPAS

Cory Pappas is sports writer for USC Trojans On SI and Oregon Ducks On SI. Since starting in March of 2024, he has been writing breaking news stories, game previews, game recaps, and more across College Sports, the NFL, MLB, NBA, and Olympics for Total Apex Sports. In addition to writing, Cory is also a sports data scout for Sportradar. He covers live sporting events ranging from college athletics to semi-pro and professional. Before joining the industry, Cory graduated from the University of Oregon in 2022. He ran track for Oregon's club Track and Field team. Before Oregon, he played varsity basketball and track and field in high school in Walnut Creek, CA. Cory is using his lifelong passion for sports and writing together.

Share on XFollow cory_pappas1