This week's news that the NFL is extending its residency in London through to 2020 gave the world a firm reminder that when it comes to american football making a wave outside of its own borders, the UK is still very much the place they want to be.
After the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins drew 85,000 fans to Wembley last month, the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars do battle in north west London this weekend to provide another example of how things will look when if a permanent franchise lands in London. If George Osborne does successfully score a "touchdown" for London and bring a team here, one of the biggest challenges will surely be persuading the brightest NFL talent to up sticks and play their sport in a country that still thinks of Thierry Henry and Premier League sticker albums whenever they hear 'football'.
Two such talents who could be persuaded are Tyrod Taylor and Bacarri Rambo of the Buffalo Bills. Both men are in their mid-twenties and take to the field in London for the first time this weekend. We caught up with Tyrod and Rambo after they were grilled by Reggie Yates and audience of hardcore NFL fans at NikeTown in London.
Interview:Corey Pellatt
You landed in the UK on Monday night, what have your first impressions been of London?
Tyrod Taylor: It’s been cool, it’s been fun. A couple of guys got out to see the city yesterday and I was able to do a bit of shopping, we went to what’s the place…Harrod’s? We found a bunch of stuff there and I went back to the hotel after that, I was just so tired.
Bacarri Rambo: It’s pretty good, it’s getting on my good side but there’s a lot to get used to – like the driving! They be turning one way and I’m thinking ‘bro, you meant to be going the other way or someone gonna get hurt!’ The people here are very nice and genuine, I’ve seen nothing to make me think negatively about London.
The games at Wembley are a massive deal for NFL fans in the UK, do they feel like a special event to players and fans as it involves travelling to a new place?
TT: I’m excited to come out here and play, it’s a new experience for me. I know our fans travel well and I’m sure the fans from London are going to be pumped as well, there’s a lot of people haven’t been here.
BR: Yeah, when I found out I was excited because I’d never been to London, it’s gonna be a great moment and a great trip but we can’t get sidetracked – we can enjoy these first couple of days and go out to eat, see some sights – but we’re here to take care of business and beat the Jaguars.
An NFL franchise starting in London is something that we keep on hearing about and if that does come off, do you think it could attract the top talent from the United States?
TT: I think it can happen but the NFL is different from other leagues when it comes to attracting talent because it all comes down to the free agency market and whoever offers the most money. If a team over here offers the most money…
BR: I think a lot of people would enjoy playing here and I’m one of them. I would love to come here and play. Basically, if you love the game then no matter where you’re staying, you can play. I think the fans here would embrace us and we’d probably sell out a lot of games, they’d fall in love with it. Getting a team here would be a huge steal for London.
You’re a long way form Buffalo so did you bring any home comforts with you to make your time here a little easier?
TT: Nah, I didn’t! Just a couple of Nike sweatsuits and some outfits in case we go to dinner but that’s it. The hotel has pretty much got everything we need to keep us comfortable.
What’s the vibe like in the hotel between you and the rest of the boys?
TT: We have a ping pong table and they set up two Xboxes for us, we play Madden. It kinda feels like our locker room, to be honest…
I know that Premier League players get quite worked up about the ratings EA SPORTS assign them on FIFA, is it the same for you with Madden?
TT: Yeah! Definitely people get excited about the ratings. I think they update stuff every week but I will say this, FIFA is definitely the most played game in our locker room…the guys play that non-stop! Despite what I just said, you rarely see guys playing Madden, maybe it’s because we live the sport? FIFA and NBA 2K is where it’s at.
BR: I just sit on my computer and text on my phone, watch films – I play video games but I’m not much of a sports guy in that way, I play Call of Duty. I wanna have a break from football sometimes but that’s all they play down there.
What’s you interaction been like with the UK public so far?
TT: It’s been pretty cool but I haven’t talked too much. There was five of us out walking around last night and you can see people looking at us thinking ‘those guys are athletes’, some people know the game is in town.
BR: It feels low key. I don’t think anybody knows who I am! Even if I was in Buffalo people don’t really know, that’s the con of being a defensive player – people don’t really know about us because we don’t score points! The names and faces of quarterbacks or running backs are all on TV. With defence, we’ve gotta do something special for our face to be known. The NFL is about scoring points, people wanna see the Buffalo Bills winning 55-20. I don’t mind it, I can be the guy in the back…
There’s not been any selfie requests yet?
TT: Nah, not yet! That’s kind of a good thing because for those who have faces that are really well known, it can be a reason they don’t go out as much.
What’s the atmosphere like in the locker room on game day?
TT: There’s a bunch of music, it doesn’t matter what it is. Some guys put their headphones on, different guys have different ways of getting into the game. I stay to myself.
BR: There’s a lot of Drake, a lot of Future, a lot of PartyNextDoor. Drake is just different, he’s one of the best, if not the best…he’s in a league of his own. I’ve got those guys on my playlist all the time, Rick Ross…
You’re tryna get the Rick Ross beard going a little bit, Rambo…
BR: Yeah I’m thinking about cutting and growing it in but I’m so impatient, it’s not growing as fast as I want it to grow.
What are you expecting from Wembley in terms of atmosphere?
TT: I know it’s a home game for Jacksonville but I don’t know if the crowd will be on one side or the other.
BR: It’s gonna be a live crowd. I’m eager to see if people know what’s going on! So many people hear football and think of soccer, I don’t know if people understand the rules and regulations. I wanna see what people cheer. Are they gonna cheer for the Jaguars? The Bills? The Cheerleaders? I’m going to embrace the moment and show people what it would feel like to have a football team here.
Is a week in a foreign country long enough to prepare yourselves adequately for a game of this magnitude?
TT: I think so. Weather wise? This is warmer than Buffalo! It snowed last week before our game. Time change is the biggest thing but being here this long helps you get to grip with that.
There’s been a sharp rise in the number of NFL players doing the ‘Ronaldo’ celebration after scoring a touchdown. Can you feel ‘soccer’ becoming more popular in your locker room?
TT: A bunch of people talk about it, I haven’t really watched any yet. I’ll watch it if it’s on but I don’t make it my business to watch it. Being over here I’d definitely like to learn a little more about it…
BR: I’d be scared to celebrate man because I’ve seen a lot of players do that Ronaldo thing and blow out their knee. I kinda wanna try it ‘cos I’m a Ronaldo fan but I’m just scared.
We’re in NikeTown now, which is one of the UK’s biggest sneaker hotspots, what’s your sneaker collection like?
TT: There’s a bunch of guys in the locker room that have sneakers but I’m probably up there. I don’t know how many pairs I have, I couldn’t say…but I like Huaraches and I’ve actually spotted a pair tonight that I’ve never seen before. I wouldn’t be able to name a favourite but I’m part of the shoe conversation.
BR: I love sneakers, man. I can’t say I’m one of the biggest but I have a great variety. I’ve got Foamposites, I’ve got Jordans, I’ve got so many pairs of running shoes, I’ve had Air Maxes as long as I can remember. I like shoes being different
Finally, what can fans expect from the game this weekend?
TT: For us to go out there and play our butts off.
Bacarri Rambo, Tyrod Taylor and Reggie Yates were at NikeTown London to discuss the evolution of speed in the game ahead of the second 2015 NFL International Series game. This Sunday the Jacksonville Jaguars will take on the Buffalo Bills at Wembley Stadium. For more information go to www.nike.com/nfl, www.nfluk.com or visit NikeTown London.
