RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The turf at Maracana Stadium was a concern for almost two weeks ahead of Sunday's game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens, the NFL’s debut in Rio de Janeiro. But efforts to stitch and trim the natural grass surface until minutes before kickoff seemed to pay off.
The Ravens beat the Cowboys 34-31 a thrilling game that was decided by Tyler Loop’s 56-yard field goal as time expired.
Concerns about the turf's traction
and stability prompted the NFL to reinforce its stitching throughout the week. The footing appeared sound and there was minimal slipping or tripping by players.
The historic Brazilian stadium's grass was in poor shape one week before the game amid a long season of soccer. Local clubs Flamengo and Fluminense play there at least once a week.
On Saturday, hours after the executive director of the NFL Players Association said both the NFL and the players union had experts monitoring the field conditions, Maracana workers were using mowers and scissors on the grass.
NFL field director Nick Pappas, who said throughout the week he was confident players would have no trouble, was checking the turf minutes before kickoff with five staffers behind him.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and coach Brian Schottenheimer said the field conditions were a nonfactor.
“It held up fine,” Schottenheimer said.
The NFL has been playing in Brazil since 2024, but the two previous games were at NeoQuimica Arena in Sao Paulo. In the first Brazil game, Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers players had to change their cleats to stop slipping.
There was no obvious slipping by players at Maracana, although broadcasters showed video of some of the stitched grass easily being ripped up before the start of the game. Not even the part of the field where singer Ricky Martin performed on a stage during halftime appeared to be damaged when players returned.
The turf didn't have any influence in one of the biggest moments of the game, when the Cowboys had a key giveaway in the third quarter with Jake Ferguson fumbling after catching a pass from Dak Prescott.
The Maracana field is 100% natural grass, while NeoQuimica Arena has a mixture of natural and synthetic turf that players have called the country's best pitch.
Many Brazilian fans who know Maracana best said they found the complaints about the turf exaggerated.
“NFL players have played in much worse places, including in the U.S.,” said Gustavo Fernandes, a 41-year-old fan who wore a New England Patriots shirt. “They’ve played in places where baseball diamonds could be seen. The Maracana is just fine, players will know which cleats to wear and game on.”
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