The Dallas Cowboys will play the Baltimore Ravens at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium on Sept. 27, with the field surface receiving attention ahead of the matchup. It will be the first NFL game held at the stadium.
Agustin Rossi, goalkeeper for Flamengo Football Club, recently said the penalty areas contained many uneven spots and voiced hope that improvements would be made before the game. The NFL told The Athletic that it has preparations designed to provide a high-quality surface for the international contest.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said the club’s football operations staff has been in contact with the league. He said league officials anticipated that the field would satisfy the required standard and that he had no concerns about the game taking place.
Jerry Jones, the team’s owner and general manager, said Sunday evening that he was seeking more information and had made the field a top focus following Dallas’ 37-20 victory over Washington. The win moved the Cowboys to 1-1.
CeeDee Lamb had 153 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and responded to a question about the field by saying, “Let’s play.” A previous international game in São Paulo featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers finished with no reported problems.
