The NFL has almost undoubtedly surpassed baseball and the MLB as "America's sport," but the league has also begun to blossom internationally. The NBA has done a great job at leveraging its sport in other countries for decades now, and the NFL has found a way to expand its reach as well, from having regular season games played in London, Germany, Mexico, and now Brazil to star rugby players entering the league.
Expansion of the game of football is fantastic for the growth and longevity of the league as a whole. It can foster belief in those outside of the United States that they can reach their goals of playing in one of the world's premiere sporting leagues outside of the sport or sports that dominate the sporting world in their city or country.
The growth and reach of the NFL and football have become increasingly apparent as the years go by and Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is noticing it firsthand this offseason. Beginning in May, Stroud, along with Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, went on an offseason tour through Asia, serving as ambassadors of football while helping kids gain knowledge about the game and the NFL.
Stroud was in awe of the number of kids he saw from another part of the world wearing his jersey number and saw it as inspiration for himself to continue growing the game and paying it forward.
The late Kobe Bryant and other basketball stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant have done similar tours in the past in different countries, growing their popularity along with the game of basketball. The same can be said for soccer. Stars like Christiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Lionel Messi have all made an impact on the game here in the United States - especially Messi, who has come overseas to join the Miami MLS team.
For Stroud to be an ambassador for the league and the game of football not only goes to show his love of the game but also the passion that he has and the character that he exemplifies by giving back to a community that is anxious to learn from the best in the business.
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