Nine international games, three new cities, and a single goal in mind: turn the NFL into an international league. Roger Goodell knew it was never going to be that simple, but the league kept pushing anyway, playing in stadiums never meant for football or on turf that was in terrible condition. But when the league planned to keep its visit to Paris in the middle of protests and riots, the backlash wasn’t just about the situation on the field but also a matter of player safety.

The NFL’s plan to go ahead with its first-ever visit to Paris has turned into an unpopular decision. And one of the players slated to visit France is speaking out. Steelers star Cam Heyward believes the game is taking place because of how much business it brings to the league.

“NFL does feel comfortable in sending us over,” Heyward said on The Rich Eisen Show. “That’s the trust we have to believe in. Hopefully we’re not going into a firestorm, but for us, we have to be smart about what we’re doing out there. No traveling alone. Make sure we stay in groups and don’t wander off too far.”

Heyward’s word of caution makes a lot of sense. In the last few weeks, high school students, teachers, and lawyers have taken to the streets of Paris, calling for educational reforms. Of the hundreds of thousands estimated to be protesting across the country, Saint-Denis, the region where the Stade de France (the stadium hosting the NFL) is located, has turned into the heart of the protests.

Naturally, there were concerns about the safety of players, with instances of looting and damage to public property. The violence led to almost 2,400 arrests, while nearly 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured, according to France’s interior ministry.

But the NFL didn’t back down. “We’re excited for the first-ever regular season game in Paris, and preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France on October 25. As we do for every NFL game, including our international games, we work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. We look forward to welcoming fans to Paris later this month,” the league said in a statement.

That’s why the next question Eisen asked Heyward, a leader in the Steelers camp, was whether the NFL had reached out and given any hint of the game possibly being moved back to the United States. Heyward’s answer was direct.

“The NFL likes money, so we’re not looking for that opportunity.”

The international game is an incredible source of revenue for the league. For starters, while home teams retain most of the ticket revenue in the U.S., as Sportico puts it, “The league operates its international series via a much more centralized system.”

More importantly, for teams that establish long-term deals to play international games, there’s potential to earn millions. Take the Jaguars, for instance. According to Joe Pompliano, the team makes $35 million to $50 million every time it plays in London.

But to set that up, the league needs its first game, and perhaps that’s why it remains insistent on going forward with the first-ever NFL game in France. There’s already plenty of hype around the game. The NFL’s head of Europe and Asia-Pacific, Brett Gosper, said 70% of the tickets were purchased by people in France, while another 10% were bought by fans from other European countries.

Both teams’ owners have shared that they are looking forward to the Paris game.

“Playing the New Orleans Saints in such a historic setting is a great opportunity to showcase the NFL’s global growth and to connect with fans around the world. It’s an exciting moment for our organization and for Steelers Nation everywhere,” Art Rooney said earlier this year.

“It is a privilege for the New Orleans Saints to take part in the NFL’s first regular season game in France. Louisiana’s relationship with France is centuries deep, and this game represents another meaningful step in strengthening those cultural and economic ties,” Saints owner Gayle Benson explained.

As for player safety, there are a few updates, both from the league and from the French government.

Peter O’Reilly, an NFL executive, said the league is working with French authorities and the U.S. State Department to prepare for the game. NFL security officials, including Cathy Lanier, are already in France to help manage the situation and ensure everything goes smoothly.

As it stands, both teams have already outlined their travel plans. The New Orleans Saints arrived in Paris on Monday morning on a direct flight after beating the New York Giants 34–27. Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said his team planned to travel on Thursday evening.

Getting the players to Paris is one thing. Getting the fans into the stadium is another.

The important part for the NFL will be ensuring that the fans who bought those tickets are actually able to visit the stadium. Earlier this week, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu asked prefects to implement limited, localized curfews. And so far, as far as sporting events go, it looks like the curfews may have worked, since a soccer game did take place in the city. However, that same game was at risk of being played with no fans in the stands.

If the NFL ends up in the same position, the game it has been so insistent on playing could lose much of the business and exposure that made Paris worth the risk.