Defensive tackle Warren Sapp of the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers has only been in Japan for a day but already likes what he sees.
"The sushi here is a lot better than in the States," Sapp, the centerpiece of the NFL's best defense last season, told reporters Thursday ahead of Saturday's American Bowl against the AFC East champion New York Jets.
The trip to Japan is part of an effort by the NFL to broaden the appeal of American football in foreign markets. NFL teams have traveled to such places as Osaka; London; Barcelona, Spain; Berlin; Mexico City and Dublin, Ireland in recent years.