NFL Dodges Worst-Case Scenario With Brazil Field
The main story was the players, not the playing surface.
Sunday's NFL game in Brazil at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro proceeded as planned, despite concerns about the field conditions. The Ravens defeated the Cowboys with a 34-31 victory, thanks to a 56-yard field goal by Tyler Loop. While the game did see some divots, players like J.J. Watt and KaVontae Turpin generally found the turf to be playable.
The NFL assured that the field met standards set by the league and the NFL Players Association, attributing any potential issues more to performance than player safety. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed confidence in the field's quality, stating he would be surprised if it was an issue during the game. The concerns about the field arose from soccer players for Flamengo, the stadium's primary tenant.
The NFL had a contingency plan in place to address any field issues, using machinery to reinforce the grass with synthetic fibers. The game came just two weeks after the NFL played in Australia and ahead of three consecutive weekends of games in London. The majority of ticket buyers for the match were from Brazil, with fans from 66 other countries attending.
Written by urgent.news from Front Office Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
