GREEN BAY, Wis. — Not long after the Green Bay Packers’ season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last season in São Paulo, Brazil, three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark bashed the field conditions at Arena Corinthians, where the game was played.

Nine months later, it became clearer just why Clark felt so strongly at the time. He revealed Tuesday after a Packers OTA practice that he underwent surgery in January shortly after the season to fix a problem with his right foot that he said started in Brazil.

Despite playing in all 17 regular-season games plus the playoff loss to the Eagles, Clark was bothered most of the season by a toe injury he sustained in the opener. He was listed on the injury report with a toe injury at several points last season.

Clark said the injury occurred when he got his right foot stuck in the turf, which was a problem for several players during the Brazil game.

“It was really just the turf out there,” Clark said. “Like the turf pretty much, yeah.”

He said he dealt with a bunion and bone spurs, which led to the surgery.

When asked Tuesday whether the poor field conditions at the stadium normally used for soccer caused his injury, Clark said, “I ain’t going to answer that question. Yeah, I got all the Brazilians on me, so.”

Clark was referring to the reaction to comments he made on USA Today’s “Clubhouse Live” last September shortly after the Brazil game. At the time, he said of the field: “It was trash, man. I’ve played in snow, I’ve played in rain, I ain’t never played on a surface like that. … There was like clay coming out of the ground. You got holes in the ground. It was a tough surface to play on.”

Clark posted his lowest tackle total since his rookie season of 2006 and had only one sack all season after totaling 15.5 over the previous three seasons combined. Clark just began doing individual drills during OTA practices this week. Previously, he had spent most of the offseason program rehabbing or working off to the side.

“It was a tough year for me,” Clark said. “I had surgery on my foot in January, so yeah, it was a tough year. But I’m excited. I’m back out practicing, back doing [individual drills], so today was my second day doing indy with the team, and just have to keep building forward.”

The Packers-Eagles game was the first NFL game played in Brazil. The Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs will play there this year on Sept. 5.

Also Tuesday, cornerback Keisean Nixon said he remains open to the possibility of returning kickoffs and that he regrets comments he made immediately after the 2024 season indicating otherwise.

Nixon, an All-Pro kickoff returner in 2022 and 2023, said the day after the Packers’ 22-10 playoff loss to the Eagles that he’s “kind of through with” returning kicks. Nixon had a different take on the subject Tuesday.

“Of course, I’m open to it,” Nixon said. “I’m always going to do what the team needs.”

Nixon’s reluctance about returning kicks stemmed in part from his increasing role on defense. Nixon said at the time that “I want to be CB1” and added that “CB1 is not doing kick returns. That’s just what it is.”

“That’s a comment I probably could have kept to myself, for sure, but it is what it is,” Nixon said Tuesday. “I meant what I said, but I’m also a team player. And if the coach and the team need me to do something, I’m going to do it, for sure.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.