NFL and NFLPA Assess Maracanã Field Before Ravens-Cowboys

The NFL and NFL Players Association are reinforcing and assessing the grass at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro before the Baltimore Ravens play the Dallas Cowboys, after union experts concluded the surface needed better traction and stability. The league says it expects the field to be ready, but its condition at kickoff has not yet been established. NFLPA Executive Director JC Tretter said in a written statement that union experts recommended reinforced stitching to help the surface hold together. Equipment was brought in to reinforce the field, he said, and union specialists would continue evaluating conditions through kickoff. Tretter described the concerns as involving a loose or patchy surface and excessive slipping, which he said could affect playability and performance, even if they did not necessarily present a significant injury concern. An NFL spokesperson said league and union experts were confident the field would be ready for play and comply with requirements. The spokesperson said the NFL’s field director and crew had been working on the surface since Monday, including on the stitching.