Lions president Rod Wood talks about prospect of Chiefs game in Germany

The Detroit Lions seem lined up to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Germany next season, and team president Rod Wood talked about the likelihood and possibilities of that.

The Detroit Lions are due to play an international game during the 2023 season, and if so it will almost surely be against the now-reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in Germany.  Late last month, a “Lions official” reportedly believed the team would indeed be playing the Chiefs in Germany.

As team president, Rod Wood qualifies as a “Lions official” who would be in the know on matters like the season schedule before its made public. Speaking to Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press on Monday, Wood said there’s “at least” a 50 percent chance the Lions will play the Chiefs in Germany come November.

"I think it’s, I don’t know if it’s better than 50-50 but it’s at least 50-50 that the Chiefs game will be over there,” Wood said. “We’re kind of due to go international.”"

Division games rarely take place overseas. After diving into the Chiefs 2023 opponents and home games they’d like to keep at Arrowhead Stadium or games networks would like to have in a normal Sunday window, the Lions and the Chicago Bears seem to make the most sense to be their opponent in Germany. We know which of those two teams would be a more appealing international opponent for the defending champs next season.

Rod Wood talks about prospect of Lions’ game in Germany this season

In the 2023 season, the AFC has a ninth home game in the 17-game schedule and teams out of that conference will host international games. So it happening this season for the Lions means they probably won’t have to surrender a home game in 2024, or likely 2026.

Every team must give up one home date every 10 years. Wood talked about that tentacle of international games with Birkett.

"Selfishly, I’d rather not give up a home game while we’re kind of on this upward trajectory,” Wood said. “Every 10 years you have to give up one of your nine, so I’m hoping that doesn’t happen in (2024). I would rather have it be ’26 or later. If playing internationally this year buys us a year off that, that’d be OK.”"

Going to Germany would be broadly beneficial to the Lions, as a team on the upswing and a budding brand. It looks all but certain to be happening if the tea leaves are accurate, even if Wood probably can’t say anything other than what he said about it being a coin-flip chance.