The Dallas Cowboys are preparing to travel to Brazil for a Week 3 game against the Baltimore Ravens while questions remain about the condition of the field at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The NFL says preparations are in place to provide a suitable playing surface for the international matchup.
Agustin Rossi, the goalkeeper for Flamengo, which regularly uses the stadium, recently criticized the field’s condition. He said the penalty areas had substantial problems and described uneven spots across the surface, according to comments reported by a Brazilian sports outlet.
An NFL representative told The Athletic that the league has a plan for maintaining a high-quality field at its international games. The upcoming matchup will be the first NFL game played in Rio de Janeiro. Last year’s international game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo was cited in the report as having proceeded without problems.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said the team’s football operations staff has been communicating directly with the league. He identified Todd Williams, the team’s vice president of football operations, as part of those discussions and said the league expects the field to meet its standards. Schottenheimer said he did not have concerns about the surface after speaking with operations personnel.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he did not yet have additional information as of Sunday evening but described the field as a major priority for the league and the team. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who finished the Cowboys’ 37-20 victory over Washington with 153 receiving yards and two touchdowns, said he plans to play regardless of the field questions.
