Jerry Jones Opens Up As The NFL Takes Its Biggest Steps Yet Beyond America
Jerry Jones is comfortable with the Cowboys playing in Brazil, but his latest comments suggest a permanent NFL team outside the United States is still a long way off.
The Dallas Cowboys are getting ready for a different Week 3 game in Brazil. Jerry Jones does not seem worried about the field at Maracanã Stadium, even after local soccer players raised concerns about the grass. But Jones has made his view clear on another part of the NFL's global push. Roger Goodell believes an NFL team will one day be based outside the United States. Jones sees that step as much farther away. His two comments together show a clear line between taking NFL games to new countries and putting a full-time team there.
Jerry Jones Sees Brazil As A Game, Not Yet A Home For An NFL Team
Jones said he is “comfortable” with the field in Brazil and expects the NFL to have it ready for the Cowboys-Ravens game on September 27. He also noted that if there were a serious problem, the league could move the game.
That matters because the Brazil trip has already brought questions about the surface, travel and player preparation. The game is not just another road trip. Dallas has to cross into a new market, deal with a different setting and prepare for Baltimore away from its normal routine.
Jones has business ties in Brazil too. He said he has automobile dealerships in Sao Paulo and Rio and has friends there. So the country is not an unknown place for him.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after Sunday's win over Washington: “There's nothing more dangerous than an old man with money.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 22, 2026
Jones today on @1053thefan: “We have the makings of a team here that I'm optimistic about and would work to improve it in a minute.”
Jones said those… pic.twitter.com/kOVmd0j1uE
For Dallas, the immediate focus remains football. The Cowboys enter the trip after a 37-20 win over Washington, while Baltimore brings Lamar Jackson and a tough test. Still, the Brazil game has become part of a larger NFL story.
Roger Goodell Wants The NFL To Go Further Than Overseas Games
Goodell has spoken about a much bigger plan. He said there will be NFL teams outside the USA one day and pointed to international cities that could host a franchise.
Jones offered a more careful view when asked about that idea. He said the NFL's story can keep growing around the world, but a new team is “probably pretty far” in the future.
The difference is important. The NFL can send games to countries without asking one city to support a team for an entire season. A permanent franchise would need a stadium, strong local support, business partners, media deals and a way to handle long travel every week.
Mexico could be easier in some ways because the NFL already has a history there and the travel from Dallas is shorter. Brazil shows that the league can take a major game far from home, but it also shows why a permanent team would bring more questions.
For now, Jones appears open to the NFL playing in new places. His comments suggest that building a team there is a much bigger step. The Brazil game shows how far the league has already gone overseas, while Jones' expansion comments show how far it may still have to go.