As the Dallas Cowboys prepare for a high-profile Week 3 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, much of the pre-game discussion has focused on the quality of the playing surface. However, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is choosing to ignore the outside noise.
Concerns regarding the pitch first emerged following complaints from local soccer players, including Flamengo goalkeeper Agustín Rossi, who criticized the stadium’s bumpy conditions and penalty areas. The NFLPA also weighed in, with executive director JC Tretter noting that experts recommended reinforced stitching to improve traction and stability for the international contest.
Despite the league inspecting and approving the venue-alongside equipment staff packing an assortment of cleat options like seven-stud configurations-anxieties persisted leading up to Sunday’s game. Prescott, however, made it clear that the state of the turf is not on his mind.
“Not a lot goes into that for me. I trust my equipment, the cleats that I’m going to have,” Prescott told reporters. “Not really even looking into the news about how people feel about the field. If it’s the surface we’re going to play on, let’s go do it.”
The veteran quarterback brushed off the heavy scrutiny with a reference to his upbringing, emphasizing that professional athletes often encounter far more challenging environments earlier in their lives.
“Where I’m from, I’ve played on worse. Been tackled on concrete,” Prescott said. “So the fact that the grass is soft, we’ll take it, I’ll take it anyways. I hope not to hit it anyways.”
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer echoed a similarly calm sentiment, noting that the franchise’s operations team has been in direct contact with the league office and trusts that the venue meets proper standards. Teammate CeeDee Lamb also adopted a straightforward approach to the situation, offering a simple mindset ahead of kickoff: “Let’s play.”
Both teams will face the exact same conditions on Sunday, creating a level playing field as the NFL hosts its historic matchup in Rio de Janeiro.
