The Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens are set to make history this weekend at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, but one of the first things fans noticed wasn’t the landmark setting or even the field conditions. It was the giant tifo inside the stadium, featuring caricatures of both starting quarterbacks - and Dak Prescott’s version did not exactly land softly.
The artwork was meant to hype up the NFL’s first regular-season game in Rio, but the reaction online quickly turned into a roast session. Lamar Jackson’s image drew attention too, though Prescott’s caricature took the biggest beating from Cowboys fans who felt he was portrayed especially harshly.
“They did both these QBs dirty,” Tom Downey wrote. “But especially big forehead Dak.”
That was the general vibe across social media, where fans kept circling back to Prescott’s exaggerated features. Some asked bluntly what the image was supposed to be, while another post flatly said, “That’s not Dak bro😭😭😭😭😭”
Others fixated on the details, from the oversized forehead to the bags under Prescott’s eyes, with one person joking that maybe the long trip had him looking a little jet-lagged. A few fans even said the caricature looked more like someone else entirely, including Carlos Boozer and Aaron Davis from Into The Spider-Verse.
Even with the jokes, the tifo was only part of the conversation heading into Sunday’s game. There have also been concerns about the field at Maracanã, which was described as being in rough shape before the weekend. The NFL brought in field experts, but players walking the surface Saturday reportedly found it incredibly soft, raising more questions about how the field will hold up.
The Cowboys and Ravens will kick off Sunday at 4:25 p.m. EST on CBS.
Both teams enter at 1-1. Dallas opened with a loss to the New York Giants before beating the Washington Commanders in Week 2.
Baltimore beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, then dropped a close game to the New Orleans Saints in Week 2.
Baltimore is favored, but Prescott may have gotten a little extra motivation from the artwork that greeted him in Rio.
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For Baltimore, its another reminder that this game is being staged as more than a regular-season date on the schedule. Martin brings worldwide recognition and prior NFL halftime experience, while Sampaio gives the event a distinctly Brazilian edge, making the midgame break one more part of a night designed to feel like a showcase. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Week 1 Opener Suddenly Has A Serious Brazil Problem
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Ravens Need Zay Flowers Now More Than Ever Against Dallas
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The Cowboys are heading into Maracan Stadium without some key pieces in the secondary, including starting safety Malik Hooker, P.J. Locke and cornerback Cobie Durant. That leaves Baltimore with a chance to stress a defense that may already be shorthanded, especially if Flowers can give the Ravens even part of his usual burst. The bigger question now is not whether he can help, but how much he can handle if he is active. [Read more 🡒]