Dallas will play Baltimore in Brazil on Sept. 27, with the condition of Maracanã Stadium’s field receiving attention ahead of the matchup. The game will be the first NFL contest held at the stadium.
Agustin Rossi, goalkeeper for Flamengo Football Club, criticized the surface, saying the penalty areas contained numerous uneven spots and expressing hope that improvements would be made ahead of the NFL game. The league told The Athletic that it has a plan for producing a high-quality field, as it does for all international games.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said the team’s football operations staff had been in contact with the NFL about the surface. He said league officials anticipated 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 considered the field a top priority after the 37-20 victory over Washington. CeeDee Lamb had 153 receiving yards and two touchdowns in that game.
When asked about the field, Lamb said, “Let's play.” A prior international game in São Paulo featuring Kansas City and Los Angeles finished with no reported problems.
