Brazil’s Field Got Roasted By Soccer Stars, But Stephen Jones Says Cowboys Have ‘No Concerns’

The condition of the field for the Cowboys’ Week 3 game against the Ravens in Rio has been a massive topic. Seriously, soccer players recently called out Maracaña Stadium’s field, but the NFL is full steam ahead, and Stephen Jones just weighed in on the whole thing.

The Rio Field Brouhaha

Recent talk has swirled around Rio’s Maracaña Stadium, and it hasn’t been good. Soccer players who have been out there lately? They’ve been complaining, big time, about the field conditions. You gotta wonder if those complaints are legitimate, especially when you’re talking about NFL athletes putting their bodies on the line out there. But despite all that, word came down Sunday that the league is pushing forward with plans for the game.

Jones Isn’t Sweating It

Now, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones isn’t sweating it one bit. On Monday, he pretty much echoed the league’s confidence, saying if the NFL is moving forward, then the Cowboys “don’t have concerns” about the playing surface. He even dropped this take on 105.3 The Fan, like it’s no big deal at all.

Jones broke it down, saying, “I think if there was a real concern, there would have already been contingent plans being made.” He knows “how the league works,” he explained, adding that there’s no talk about an alternate location. That tells you “full speed ahead,” right? He finished by saying, “Whatever work needs to be done on the field to make sure that it’s safe and great for our players, no one understands that more than the league.” It’s all on the league to make sure it’s up to snuff for the players.

We’ll all be watching next Sunday when those two teams finally hit the field for the league’s third visit to Brazil, and their first-ever game in Rio. Will the field live up to Jones’s confidence, or will those soccer complaints prove prophetic? It’s a huge moment for the NFL’s international push, and player safety has gotta be front and center.

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.