NFL returns to London with Jaguars, Falcons serving as ‘home’ team

The NFL International Series is officially back as the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons will host games in London in 2021.

The NFL has been trying to expand its footprint overseas through the International Series since 2007 but the international games had to take a one-year hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19.

The improved virus situation has led the league to schedule a pair of games in London this season, with both slated to take place at Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium as part of a deal the NFL signed with the club back in 2015.

The NFL’s schedule release show is set for 8:00 p.m. tonight but the London games were leaked well in advance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football.

Both games are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. London time, meaning they will be broadcast at 9:30 a.m. ET in the United States.

2021 NFL International Series games in London

New York Jets at Atlanta Falcons – Oct. 10

The first matchup will come in Week 5 as the Jets take on the Falcons, who will be serving as the home team in this game. The game will also feature a pair of first-year head coaches in Robert Saleh and Arthur Smith along with two top-five picks from the 2021 NFL Draft, Jets’ quarterback Zack Wilson and Falcons’ tight end Kyle Pitts.

This is the first international action for the Jets since 2015 when they beat the Miami Dolphins 27-14 at Wembley Stadium. Atlanta previously hosted a game in London in 2014 when they lost to the Detroit Lions 22-21.

Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars – Oct. 17

The second matchup will come in the following week as the Dolphins take on the Jaguars, an interesting move from the NFL to put a contest between in-state rivals overseas. This will mark the London debut for Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence, a market he could become very familiar with as Jacksonville has committed to play at least two games overseas for years to come.

The Jaguars are 3-4 all-time in International Series games with their most recent London game coming in 2019 when they lost to the Houston Texans 26-3. Miami is 1-3 in London games and hasn’t played there since 2017 when they lost 20-0 to the New Orleans Saints.