:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66747384/457881830.jpg.0.jpg)
It appears the Detroit Lions narrowly avoided a trip to London this year.
Per a report from Adam Schefter, the NFL will be releasing the 2020 schedule for the preseason and regular season this week, but it does not appear the International Series—which has been going on since 2007—will continue this year. There were five international games expected to be played this year (four in London, one in Mexico), but it appears the NFL is cancelling those due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
So what does that have to do with the Lions? Well, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Lions were scheduled to participate in one of the four games in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Lions were supposed to play Jacksonville in London this year. Seems like the wise thing to do postponing international games given what’s going on in the world https://t.co/OTYl2kGyY2
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) May 4, 2020
The Lions haven’t played a game abroad since 2015, when they were thoroughly beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs, 45-10. They had also played in London the year before, earning a narrow victory over the Atlanta Falcons thanks to a last-second field goal.
The NFL has still not announced an exact date they will be releasing the 2020 schedule, but it is expected to happen sometime this week by May 9.