Falcons arrive in Madrid for ‘business trip,’ but they’re cherishing the moment

MADRID — Jahan Dotson and Xavier Watts glanced at each other, smiled and laughed. Seated behind a dais at Real Madrid’s training complex in Madrid, they were at a standstill, deciding between themselves who wanted the embarrassment first.

Watts folded.

“Hola,” the Falcons safety said. “Cómo estás? Buenos días. Paquito.”

Dotson didn’t think he could do any better. He was urged to try. So, he did.

“Hola,” said Dotson, who’s in his first year as a Falcons receiver. “Cómo estás?”

Watts and Dotson, only a few hours removed from landing in Madrid, hadn’t yet picked up much of the local dialect. They’ll have plenty of time. But they shouldn’t look toward their coach for any revolutionary Spanish lessons.

“First couple hours,” Kevin Stefanski said, “muy bueno.”

The Falcons arrived Wednesday morning in Spain, four days ahead of their Week 9 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Upon landing, the Falcons went straight to Ciudad Real Madrid, the practice site for one of the world’s premier soccer clubs. There, they progressed through a light shake-out to loosen their bodies from the eight-hour flight.

Wednesday, Stefanski said, is more focused on the mental side than physical side this week. The team held a brief walk-through at Ciudad Real Madrid and had another scheduled later in the afternoon at the hotel, where they also had meetings.

Thursday brings normalcy with practice schedules, activities and meetings, and it carries into Friday and Saturday, where the Falcons’ operation won’t differ much from a normal week.

Stefanski, who’s coached three games in London and is no stranger to international games, is a believer in early arrivals. Under the Falcons’ two previous coaching staffs, they landed Friday morning before playing Sunday. They won their first try under Arthur Smith in 2021, then lost in ’23. They fell to the Colts in Berlin last season under Raheem Morris.

“This seems like the right amount of time,” Stefanski said. “I’ve always left a little bit earlier than most, but the bottom line is, whoever plays better on Sunday wins. I know different teams have taken a different approach to international games, and that’s their prerogative. We try to just make the best decisions for our football team.

“But I do see the benefits of coming out early to a city where you can acclimate to the time zone, you can be together as a football team for a few days. And it doesn’t hurt to be a beautiful city like this.”

Madrid is six hours ahead of Atlanta, and Dotson felt the coaching staff’s plan — from time of departure to advice once they boarded the aircraft — worked well.

“I feel like we were very prepped,” Dotson said. “Our staff did a great job of having a plan in place for us to make sure we get to sleep as soon as we get on the plane to make sure that we’re adjusted when we get here, because obviously, a big time zone difference.

“So, I feel like they did a good job preparing us for what we were stepping into.”

Travel challenges aside, the Falcons stepped into much cooler weather. Temperatures in Madrid rested in the high 30s Wednesday morning. Most players and staff members wore sweatshirts. Some battled to keep their warmth.

They also stepped into a sphere of much more attention. Spanish and international media appeared in full force. Several Falcons coaches peered around and looked into the crowd of at least 50 media members during an open viewing period at practice.

It’s all new. The surroundings. The language. The temperature. The spotlight. And the Falcons (3-5) have to use it to their advantage against the Bengals (5-2) while hoping to avoid their fourth loss in five games.

“I feel like you just have to adjust to the circumstances,” Watts said. “It’s a great opportunity to come across the country and play in a different country. So, kind of just adjust to the circumstances and take advantage of the opportunity.”

But the Falcons plan to take a moment and embrace the change. Once they finish work Friday, Stefanski plans to hit the town with his family and eat dinner. On Saturday, when the team has a walk-through at Santiago Benabeu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid, Stefanski said he’ll take pictures to document the moment.

Such is the balance the Falcons hope to find on their trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

“Listen, it’s a business trip for us. We have a lot of work to do,” Stefanski said. “But we will take a moment here and take a walk and take in the sights and sounds and understand how lucky we are to be in a city like Madrid.”

The Falcons don’t take lightly to greater, leaguewide responsibilities. They’re playing in the second-ever NFL game in Spain. There will be fans who’ve never seen a football game in person. Sunday presents a chance to grow the game, and also leave an impression on the Falcons’ identity under Stefanski.

Dotson thinks the trip comes at a good time, too. The Falcons are sputtering as they hit the halfway point. They’ve lost three of their last four games, and their 16-0 loss to the Buccaneers in difficult conditions last Sunday felt like a missed opportunity to regain momentum.