NFLPA Flags Rio Field Concerns Before Cowboys-Ravens

On Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, NFLPA executive director JC Tretter released a lengthy statement on Maracanã Stadium before the Cowboys-Ravens game, the NFL's first in Rio. He said experts found the field needed better traction and stability and recommended reinforced stitching, with gear brought in before kickoff. Kickoff is Sunday, Sept. 27, at 4:25 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+, the second of nine 2026 international games after 49ers-Rams in Melbourne. The region had record rainfall for six weeks. NFL field director Nick Pappas commented Monday on weather mitigation plans; crews had worked the field since Monday. Lamar Jackson answered a field question Wednesday; Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer spoke on cleat choices. CONTESTED: Tretter said the surface risked being loose, patchy, and slick—chiefly a playability and performance issue, not a major injury risk—yet safety is not the only standard and a thin slick field still affects performance and game quality. He said this reinforces concerns about international expansion, that this time of year makes NFL-level grass extremely hard to maintain, and that growth alone cannot be the goal if player standards are not kept. He cited Titans-Eagles turf in Nashville that melted cleats. No NFL rebuttal on the assessment or expansion critique appears in the record. Experts were to keep evaluating through kickoff. The league had played São Paulo's Corinthians Arena the prior two seasons; the 2024 Brazil debut drew major surface complaints.