The Indianapolis Colts Return to the World Stage This Month
With the NFL’s continued commitment to expanding its global footprint, several teams will once again play overseas this season—including the Indianapolis Colts. On Nov. 9, the Colts will host the Atlanta Falcons at the historic Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany.
For offensive tackle Bernard Raimann, the trip will be something of a homecoming. Born in Steinbrunn, a small town just outside Vienna, Austria, Raimann is only a short flight or train ride from Berlin. “About 20 members of my family will be at the game,” he says. “Half are taking the 4- to 5-hour train ride, and the rest are flying—it’s only about 90 minutes.”
This won’t be Raimann’s first time playing abroad. He was also part of the Colts’ roster in 2023 when they played the New England Patriots in Frankfurt. “I’m over-the-moon excited to go back,” he says.
Raimann grew up playing soccer but switched to American football at age 14, drawn to the physicality of the game. “What I love about American football is how much we have to rely on one another as teammates,” he says. “You have to be able to trust the person next to you.”
He went on to play college football at Central Michigan and was drafted by the Colts in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the 77th overall pick.
The Colts take careful steps to help players manage jet lag on international trips. Berlin is six hours ahead of Indianapolis, and anyone who has flown across several time zones knows how disorienting it can be. “The staff forces us to sleep on the flight to help,” Raimann says. “It makes a big difference.”
While Raimann and his teammates are excited for the trip, it will be all business once they land. “We’ll practice on Thursday, then fly overnight to Germany on Friday,” he says. “Once we arrive, we’ll check into the hotel and head straight to the walk-through.”
Raimann hopes to squeeze in time for dinner with his family—and to introduce them to his infant daughter, who will be taking her first-ever flight.
“We’re going to experience the whole ‘flying with a baby’ thing,” he jokes.
One thing he’s certain about? Enjoying some comfort food from home. “I’m looking forward to goulash, bread dumplings, and sausage,” he says. “All of the offensive line loved the food last time around.”
Berlin’s Olympiastadion has previously hosted NFL exhibition games from 1990 to 1994. Built for the 1936 Summer Olympics, the stadium is best known for American track star Jesse Owens’ legendary performance, making it a fitting venue for another historic sporting event.
This will be the third international matchup for the Colts. They previously played the Patriots in Frankfurt in 2023 and faced AFC South rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars, at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2016.
Notably, the Berlin game marks the first time the Colts will serve as the designated “home” team abroad.
The 2024 NFL International Series will feature up to eight regular-season games, with matchups in São Paulo, Dublin, London, Madrid—and now Berlin. The Colts-Falcons game will be the first-ever regular-season NFL game played at Olympiastadion.
And one final note: the Colts beat the Patriots the last time they played in Germany.
Kickoff for Colts vs. Falcons is set for 9:30 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, Nov. 9.
