Will Patriots Play International Game In 2022 NFL Season?

The Patriots reportedly will not be going overseas to play any one of their 17 regular-season games in the upcoming NFL campaign.

New England was not one of the five teams listed by the NFL when it made its first announcement for the league’s 2022 international slate in late February. However, a game outside of the United States was still a possibility for Bill Belichick’s team. The Patriots are set to play the Arizona Cardinals, who are scheduled to play a game in Mexico, and the Green Bay Packers, who will make a trip to London, at some point this season.

But according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, New England probably isn’t going to play an international game until the 2023 campaign.

“The Patriots have no shortage of compelling road trips this season — Arizona, Cleveland, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota and Pittsburgh for non-division foes — and a league source said the NFL is planning for its schedule release for the second week of May,” Reiss wrote. “As for international games, a source said the Patriots aren’t expected to be chosen to play the Cardinals in Mexico or Packers in London this season. The belief among the New England brain trust is that the team is most likely to play its next international game in Germany in 2023.”

The Patriots have played three games outside of the U.S. since the NFL started its International Series back in 2007. New England has made two voyages to London (2009 and 2012) and a trek to Mexico in 2017. The Patriots came out on top by at least 25 points in all three contests.