Allen Park — Put away your passports, Detroit Lions fans. The team won’t play overseas during the 2023 season, extending its run without an international game to eight years. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys will have had longer droughts.
The Lions had been eligible to battle the Kansas City Chiefs in Germany, but the defending Super Bowl champs will instead play host to the Miami Dolphins in Frankfurt on Nov. 5.
Coincidentally, the last time the Lions took part in the NFL’s International Series, they were hammered by the Chiefs in 2015 at London’s Wembley Stadium, 45-10. That loss dropped the Lions to 1-7 on the season and general manager Martin Mayhew and team president Tom Lewand were fired four days later.
The Lions also played at Wembley Stadium the previous year, 2014, besting the Atlanta Falcons on a 48-yard, game-winning field goal by Matt Prater as time expired.
In addition to the Chiefs-Dolphins matchup, the NFL’s International Series will consist of four other contests: Atlanta vs. Jacksonville in London on Oct. 1, Jacksonville vs. Buffalo in London on Oct. 8, Baltimore vs. Tennessee in London on Oct. 15 and New England vs. Indianapolis in Frankfort, Nov. 12.
By missing out on the date in Germany, it means the Lions will travel to Kansas City this season. It marks their first trip to the city for a regular-season game in two decades.
The time and date for that matchup will be announced Thursday evening, when the NFL’s full schedule is revealed.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers
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