St. Brown brings NFL to Munich as Germany's top jersey seller

The Detroit Lions play the New England Patriots in Munich on Sunday, marking the sixth regular-season game held in Germany.

The matchup features Amon-Ra St. Brown, a 27-year-old wide receiver who is visiting the country of his mother's birth. The NFL views Germany as a primary market for international growth, and St. Brown serves as a central figure in that effort.

According to the league, St. Brown's jersey is the best-selling item in Germany this season. He ranks ahead of Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is second, followed by Josh Allen, Drake Maye, and Jordan Love. Adult-sized game jerseys for St. Brown, Jared Goff, and Aidan Hutchinson cost 125 euros, equivalent to 138 dollars.

Alexander Steinforth, the general manager of NFL Germany, called the timing ideal. He stated that St. Brown drives interest in the sport and is actively involved in marketing the game in the region.

St. Brown grew up in California but spent summers in Leverkusen with his maternal grandparents. He speaks fluent German and plans to share traditional foods with his teammates, including schnitzel, sauerkraut, currywurst, and fries with mayonnaise. A recent video of him conducting an interview in German for broadcaster RTL has accumulated more than 3 million views on Instagram.

Local fan Alex Miklos purchased a jersey at a temporary shop in Munich's Old Town. He described St. Brown as agile and not clunky. Miklos also referenced a no-hands headstand the receiver performed after a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in 2024.

St. Brown's connection to German football predates his professional career. At age 15, he played for the German Under-19 team during the 2015 European championship in Dresden. He joined the squad alongside his brother Osiris, while their older brother Equanimeous sat out because he had signed with Notre Dame. Jan Weinreich, a quarterback on that team who now works for RTL, noted that the brothers raised the team's intensity and competitiveness. Germany defeated France in the semifinal but lost to Austria in the final. Weinreich recalled that St. Brown made a key catch in the semifinal despite being covered, and he believes the loss in the final still upsets the receiver.

The Lions defeated the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. St. Brown has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in four consecutive seasons since being drafted by Detroit in the fourth round of the 2021 draft.