"Just Unacceptable": NFL Fans React To Field Concerns Before Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys Clash
NFL fans have raised concerns over the Maracanã Stadium field ahead of the Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys game in Brazil.
The Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys are heading into a big Week 3 game at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. But the talk before kickoff is not only about Lamar Jackson or Dak Prescott. The field has become the main concern. NFL Players Association experts have been checking the surface after reports of loose and patchy grass. Fans have also questioned why the game is being played there. The NFL says work has been done and the field will be ready. The NFLPA says its experts will keep watching the surface before Sunday's game.
NFL Fans Question The Baltimore Ravens And Dallas Cowboys Game After Field Problems Draw Attention
The NFL wanted its first regular-season game in Rio to be a major event. Instead, the condition of the playing surface has become one of the biggest talking points before the game.
NFL Players Association executive director JC Tretter said the field could be loose and patchy, creating a risk of excessive slipping. The union has been working with the NFL on the issue and recommended steps to improve traction and stability.
The concern has quickly reached fans. Some believe a major NFL game should not be played while there are still questions about the surface.
“Stop international games,” one fan wrote.
Another fan said, “This game should be played in America. Send the Browns and the Jets to Brazil.”
The reaction became stronger after photos of the field and practice areas circulated online. One fan compared the surface to a middle school practice field, while others questioned why the NFL chose the venue.
Lamar with a bar ????
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 23, 2026
Ravens vs. Cowboys will be played in Rio this Sunday ???????? pic.twitter.com/TDTkyuv98F
Rain has added to the problem. Maracanã has also been used by Flamengo, whose players have raised concerns about the condition of the field in the past.
NFLPA Field Checks And NFL Preparations Are Now Central To The Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys Clash
The NFL Players Association has continued to monitor the surface ahead of kickoff. Its experts want better traction and stability, while the NFL has maintained that the field will be ready for the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys.
That puts extra focus on the first few minutes of the game. Players need solid footing when they run, stop and change direction. A bad step could affect a play even if the field does not create a serious injury issue.
The timing also matters because both teams have plenty at stake. Baltimore Ravens enter Week 3 at 1-1 after losing to New Orleans Saints late in their previous game. The Dallas Cowboys are also 1-1 after beating the Washington Commanders 37-20.
This will be the first regular-season NFL game in Rio de Janeiro.
But the field has changed the conversation. Instead of only discussing the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys, fans are asking whether the venue was ready for such a major game.
The NFL remains confident. The NFLPA will keep checking. By kickoff, the field itself may have the biggest role in deciding whether those concerns fade or grow.