Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb said Dallas would play on Maracanã’s grass despite concerns before Sunday’s Ravens game. The NFL said the field passed required health and safety tests; NFLPA executive JC Tretter said union experts believed it needed better traction and stability.
Field concerns followed complaints from local soccer players; Flamengo goalkeeper Agustín Rossi said the grass had many bumps. Maracanã is shared by Flamengo and Fluminense, and its heavy soccer-season use, along with recent rain, was linked to the concerns. NFL crews worked on the surface during the week, using reinforced stitching, and were still trimming the grass Saturday, less than 30 hours before kickoff.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said he trusted NFL specialists to inspect fields and was focused on the game, noting his team had played on bad fields before. Kickoff was scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET; it is the first NFL regular-season game in Rio.
