The NFL has been actively growing the game of football internationally since 2005 when San Francisco and Arizona met in Mexico City.
De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), another famous Bay Area football team, is helping to take that outreach to a new level — the high school audience.
The Spartans beat NFL Academy 31-9 on Tuesday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, the same field where the Minnesota Vikings beat the New York Jets two days earlier.
The No. 23 team in this week's MaxPreps Top 25 got two first-half touchdown runs from
Dominic Kelley and another by
Derrick Blanche to race to a 21-0 lead at halftime.
Toa Faavae and Matthew Johnson lead De La Salle on to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium field Tuesday as the Spartans played NFL Academy in England. (Photo: Ian Muir)
NFL Academy looked poised to score late in the first half but fumbled in the red zone in the rainy conditions in North London.
NFL Academy got on the board in the fourth quarter as a chunk play on a long completion from quarterback Michael Szabo to Luca Wolf set it up with first-and-goal on the 8. A touchdown was called back on a penalty before Liam Dineen's 31-yard field goal cut the De La Salle lead to 31-3 with 10:15 remaining.
Duece Jones-Drew, son of De La Salle legend Maurice Jones-Drew, looks to pick up more yardage in the Spartans' game against NFL Academy in England on Tuesday. (Photo: Ian Muir)
It's the third game against an American high school football team this season for NFL Academy, but easily the most high-profile.
De La Salle, after all, is the owner of a national record 151-game win streak and feature of the book and movie "When the Game Stood Tall."
And while the Spartans were there to play football, they have also been tourists and ambassadors for the American football. Big Ben, Parliament and teaching the game to London school children all were on the itinerary in England.
NFL Academy is comprised of high school-aged kids from throughout Europe as part of an initiative by the NFL to provide education and intensive training of American football. Launched in 2019, NFL Academy has sent more than 40 players to play collegiately with 19 athletes playing Division I football in 2024.
It was the Nike partnership that led to De La Salle across the pond as former Spartan Zach Klass, a representative with the company, reached out to head coach Justin Alumbaugh about the opportunity. The CIF agreed to the game and Nike funded the trip.
The Spartans aren't unfamiliar with big games. Their legacy not only includes the 151-game win streak but 23 straight North Coast Section titles, seven CIF state titles and 11 mythical national titles.
The Spartans (6-0) return to action Oct. 18 at home against San Ramon Valley (Danville).
In the 19 years since the first international game, the NFL has increased its footprint in Europe as four contests are now played abroad each season after the adoption of the 17-game schedule.
NFL Academy running back Isaac Fullah makes a cut in first-half action against De La Salle on Tuesday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. (Photo: Ian Muir)
De La Salle running back Derrick Blanche scored two touchdowns against NFL Academy. (Photo: Ian Muir)
