The field in Brazil is already becoming part of the conversation around Sunday’s Cowboys-Ravens game in Rio, and a leaked close-up image only added fuel to the concern.
The photo making the rounds online shows a patch of grass with thin spots and uneven, discolored areas across the surface. It quickly drew skeptical reactions from fans, including one caption that said, “There’s just no possible way this is the safest field they can do. Should’ve just kept the game at AT&T.”
That kind of unease hasn’t stopped the NFL from trying to calm the situation. League field director Nick Pappas said this week, “Right now, we feel we’re in a good spot,” and pointed out that football places different demands on the surface than soccer does because the ball is on the ground less often.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones also sounded confident when he spoke to 105.3 The Fan. “I’m comfortable that the field will be ready for us,” Jones said. “They’ve had a lot of rain down there but the conditions there are not concerning to me right now.”
Still, the concerns haven’t come from online chatter alone. Soccer players who use the stadium regularly have raised issues of their own.
Flamengo goalkeeper Agustín Rossi said the damage is obvious, describing both penalty areas as covered in bumps. Teammate Giorgian De Arrascaeta said the field has been getting worse by the week, which has made the ball harder to control.
Fans reacted the way fans usually do when a questionable field picture hits the internet: loudly. “So, is this turf or grass?
It looks jacked. Someones cleats going to get caught up in this,” one wrote.
Another wasn’t even sure the photo was real, saying, “That’s not even the field they’re playing on lol you can’t be serious.” Others piled on with lines like, “Looks like the turf you put on your balcony,” and “Both squads are never gonna recover from ts.”
One user asked, “the cowboys lose a home game for this s**t?” while another suggested they should “Literally play on concrete man.”
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, meanwhile, brushed off the noise. He said he trusts the NFL’s specialists to handle the field checks and would rather keep his attention on the game. Jackson also noted that his team has played on rough fields before, and he’s already kept his focus on the matchup itself, even joking about the Cowboys’ “America’s Team” nickname.
For now, the debate is still hanging over kickoff. Whether the surface holds up under NFL cleats is the only question that matters once the game starts.
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