Cowboys Address Field Concerns Ahead of Historic Game in Brazil

The Cowboys are coming off a big 37-20 win over the Commanders, but there's not much time to celebrate. Dallas is already turning its attention to Brazil, where the team is set to face the Baltimore Ravens at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The bigger storyline heading into that trip, though, isn't the matchup itself. It's the condition of the field they'll be playing on.

Where the Concerns Started

The playing surface at Maracanã has been under scrutiny after Agustin Rossi, the goalkeeper for Flamengo, a club that regularly plays on that field, publicly criticized its condition last week. Rossi described the surface as being in rough shape, with uneven patches throughout, and said he hoped the field would be improved after Sunday's NFL game.

The NFL has responded to those concerns, saying it has a plan in place to ensure the playing surface meets a high standard, as it does for all international games. This will be the first NFL game ever played in Rio, though last year's matchup between the Chiefs and Chargers in São Paulo went off without any issues, which offers some reassurance heading into Week 3.

The Cowboys' Response

Dallas isn't taking the reports lightly. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said the team's football operations staff has been in direct contact with the league office about the situation, and that the league has expressed confidence the field will be ready. Schottenheimer said he trusts the league to get the surface up to standard, even while acknowledging he's seen the concerns being raised publicly.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said as of Sunday evening he didn't have much new information on the situation but made clear it's one of his top priorities this week now that the team has moved past its game against Washington. Cowboys co-owner and COO Stephen Jones echoed that sentiment, saying the league's full steam ahead approach is reassuring, since any real concern would likely have already prompted contingency planning around the game.

Players Aren't Worried

For CeeDee Lamb, who's coming off a huge performance against the Commanders with 153 yards and two touchdowns, the field conditions aren't something he's spending much energy on. His approach is simple: he's focused on what he can control and plans to go out and play regardless of what the surface looks like.

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