There have been worries all week as the NFL is getting Maracanã Stadium ready for the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens game in Rio de Janeiro -- the field conditions have been a point of concern leading up to Sunday, even as work has been put in to make sure the grass is up to NFL standards.
On Friday, JC Tretter -- the NFLPA executive director and former Packers and Browns center -- weighed in with a lengthy statement on X (formerly Twitter). Here's what he had to say: "Based on our experts' assessment, the field needed better traction and stability. They recommended reinforced stitching to help the surface hold together and brought in equipment to reinforce as much of the field as possible before the game. Our experts will remain engaged
and continue evaluating conditions through kickoff."
He went on to call for "field standards that account for both safety and performance" in general going forward and that this "reinforces one of our concerns about international expansion."
Will this move the needle going forward when it comes to the ongoing grass vs. turf debate that was reignited during the 2026 World Cup? We'll see. Here's what else we know going into Sunday:
There have been a lot of questions about the field surface in Brazil, and I wanted to provide the NFLPA’s perspective.
— JC Tretter (@JCTretter) September 25, 2026
Our number one priority is the health and safety of our players. The concern heading into this week was that the field would be loose, patchy, and lead to…
The stadium in Brazil is using a stitch machine to fix the field issues
Hoje, o gramado do Maracanã está recebendo a aplicação de fibra com a utilização da GrassMaster Stitch Machine.
— Maracanã (@maracana) September 24, 2026
O procedimento, realizado como reforço estrutural para o gramado, consiste em uma sobrecostura, aumentando a resistência e a segurança do campo. pic.twitter.com/9snmDUcx4l
That's what Tretter referred to above with "reinforced stitching."
What did the NFL say about the concerns about the Brazil field conditions?
Per a statement from league spokesman Brian McCarthy to USA TODAY Sports:
"The health and safety of NFL players is a shared priority, and the NFL works collaboratively year-round with the union to ensure high-quality fields, including for international games. NFL and union experts have worked hand-in-hand in Rio and are confident the field will be ready for play and in compliance."
The Cowboys will be packing various cleats to the game
Brian Schottenheimer: “I have no doubts that the field is going to be in great shape.”
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) September 25, 2026
Schottenheimer said they have plans to adapt if needed, including wearing different cleats. Schotty said some even wore the seven-stud cleats at yesterday’s practice. https://t.co/WsuVCeeNnx pic.twitter.com/z79P6lquxh
This could be a factor in the Rio game -- will the Ravens do the same?
This article originally appeared on For The Win: The latest Brazil field updates for Ravens-Cowboys are concerning
