He’s the line-breaking NFL bruiser who has such a fine voice he appeared on The Masked Singer. Now he can’t wait to reach the perfect pitch at the MCG.
Los Angeles Rams defensive end, Kobie Turner, joined teammates at Margaret Court Arena on Sunday, promoting next year’s historic regular season clash between the Rams and an as-yet unnamed opponent.
Full of cheer: LA Rams defensive end Kobie Turner was at Margaret Court Arena on Sunday, spreading the NFL word ahead of next year’s historic clash at the MCG.Credit: Wayne Taylor
Turner, 26, flew in from mini-camp in Maui late last week, and had his first visit to the MCG on Saturday to watch Carlton and North Melbourne do battle, while also taking in a history lesson of the fabled venue.
He has the pleasure of calling SoFi Stadium – one of the world’s greatest multipurpose venues – home through the NFL season, but said the MCG gave him “chills”.
“I got the chills walking up the ramp way into the MCG. I am excited to see what it looks like when we have all of our Rams’ fans out there. There’s something like 100,000 seats – hopefully we will be able to pack it out,” Turner said on Sunday.
“SoFi is very unique, it’s one of those new-age stadiums. There is so much to the eye. When I walked out onto the field at the MCG, it felt classic. Even learning about the history, it’s almost like it’s timeless. It’s had so many renovations, but it’s built with the same bare bones.”
The prospect of playing in the first NFL regular season game in Australia has the Texas born and raised star excited, but mindful of the “awesome responsibility”.
“I know that the NFL has been trying to go more global and reach a broader audience. It’s a special moment even for me to be here right now and thinking of the fact it is going to be the first regular season NFL game ever in Australia,” Turner said.
“To come here a year early and know that we are going to be the home team, we have the opportunity, right, and almost the responsibility as well to be the liaison for the NFL as well to be able to branch out in Australia.
The LA Rams are coming to Australia in 2026, for a regular-season NFL match at the MCG.Credit: Getty Images
“We get the opportunity to put our brand on the line, the Rams, the NFL brand on the line. But that also gives us a tremendous opportunity as players to become world-wide names, household names.”
The NFL has played 55 regular-season games outside the United States, with London, Madrid and Berlin confirmed as venues this year.
Australians have already made a splash in the NFL, led recently by Eagles’ Super Bowl winner Jordan Mailata, who has a $100 million contract, and Seattle Seahawk Michael Dickson, the league’s highest-paid punter signing a new $25 million deal.
By hosting a game here, where the Rams share international marketing rights with the Philadelphia Eagles, the NFL hopes to inspire more Australians to take up the sport.
Turner, whose job is to pressure the opposition quarterback and contain the run, has also made a name for himself off the field.
Entering his third NFL season, Turner is widely known as the “The Conductor” because his post-sack celebrations include choral and orchestral-inspired movements.
The 188cm, 135-kilogram muscle machine can also sing. During the off season, he performed the national anthem before a Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings NBA game.
He has also been a contestant on the television show The Masked Singer, making it to the quarter-finals before he was eliminated.
So, how would he go singing the anthem here, then donning the helmet and pads.
“That’s a possibility. I have done an anthem before games. That’s a whole other experience where your mind has to be completely locked in for that moment. It would be interesting to try to do that, then also be completely locked in on football,” Turner said.
“It’ll be, preparing for the anthem, then the second that stops, go out on the field and smash somebody.”
The NFL has yet to confirm a date or kick-off time for the first game of a multi-year deal, but league executive vice-president Peter O’Reilly has said it will probably be held in week one of the season, meaning it could clash with the first week of the AFL finals. It could also be held during the pre-finals bye.
The AFL has said it will continue to work with the NFL to ensure fans can experience “the best of both worlds” at the MCG.
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