Running Back Taiwan Jones
The Oakland Raiders are less than a week away from their Monday Night Football matchup with the Houston Texans, and have been preparing for the international bout all week. The game is set to take place in Mexico City at Estadio Azteca, and will be the Raiders first time playing in Mexico since 2001 when they played the Dallas Cowboys in the preseason.
The Raiders held a fan fest on Day 3 of the NFL Draft at Estadio Azteca and attended various events in Mexico City.
The Raiders and Raiderettes attended a media day at their hotel in Mexico.
The Raiders and Raiderettes attended a media day at their hotel in Mexico City.
The Raiders and Raiderettes attended a media day at their hotel in Mexico City.
The Raiders and Raiderettes attended a media day at their hotel in Mexico.
The Raiders and Raiderettes attended a media day at their hotel in Mexico City.
The Raiders and Raiderettes attended a media day at their hotel in Mexico City.
The Raiders and Raiderettes attended a media day at their hotel in Mexico City.
Raiders President Marc Badain poses with Director of Mexico City's Institute of Sport Horacio De La Vega.
Felix Aguirre, Operations Director, Estadio Azteca, announces the Raiders 6th round pick.
During the offseason, a few players took a trip down to Mexico to get a feel for the lay of the land, mingle with locals, and experience the culture. One of those to attend the excursion was running back Taiwan Jones, who shared his thoughts on the trip south of the border.
First Impression:
"It was actually my first time leaving the States, but I didn't really have any expectations. I didn't know what to expect, but I definitely didn't expect to see as many Raider fans as I saw. It was kind of impressive to see how many Raider fans there were out there."
Coolest Part of the City:Local Cuisine. * *
"We took a little tour downtown and we tried some of their food, and like I said, we mingled with some of the locals, so it was a pretty cool town."
Favorite Food:Everything
"I don't even know half of the stuff I was eating, but it was pretty good. Everywhere they took us, I'm blanking on most of the names of the restaurants, but everywhere they recommended and dishes they recommended were pretty good."
Most Memorable Moment:Defeating Latavius Murray in a friendly competition.
"We got to have a competition to see who could make the best guacamole, between me and Latavius [Murray]. Me kicking his butt was definitely a good moment for me, because I can't cook (laughter)."
Expectations For Monday's Game:Excitement.
"When we did get the chance to walk around and meet some of the locals, that was something they put emphasis on, was how crazy the game was going to be. Just about everybody I talked to said, 'it's pretty much going to be a party in the stadium.' They were so excited it made me get even more excited for the game."
Stay tuned for tomorrow's travel guide with Raiders cornerback and punt returner TJ Carrie.
