mari · CC BY 2.0Lamar Jackson plays down Maracanã field concerns before Ravens-Cowboys in Rio
Baltimore's quarterback says the state of the playing surface is not on his mind as the team prepares to travel to Brazil for the NFL's first game in Rio de Janeiro.
All-Pro Reels · CC BY-SA 2.0Lamar Jackson is not focusing on the condition of the field at Maracanã Stadium, a day before the Baltimore Ravens travel to Brazil to play the Dallas Cowboys. The quarterback's comments, reported before the team's departure, set out how Baltimore are approaching the NFL's first game in Rio de Janeiro.
The fixture takes the league to a new host city and pairs the Ravens with the Cowboys at Maracanã. The playing surface, rather than the matchup, has been part of the build-up — enough for the Ravens' quarterback to have been asked about it before the trip.
Season
What is not yet known about the Maracanã field
Athlete92 · CC BY-SA 4.0The condition of the field at Maracanã has not been described publicly. It is not yet known whether the surface will be inspected, re-laid or given any particular preparation before kick-off. The Cowboys and the NFL have not commented on how it is expected to play, and the Ravens have not set out a plan for assessing it.
Jackson's answer is the clearest public indication of how either team is treating the question. Whether the field becomes a live issue once the Ravens are in Brazil will depend on what the players find when they arrive, and on whether either coaching staff chooses to raise it. A comment from the Cowboys, a statement from the league or a decision to work on the surface would be the next development.
Why the first Rio game matters
All-Pro Reels · CC BY-SA 2.0The NFL's first game in Rio de Janeiro gives the league a new host city in Brazil, with Maracanã Stadium as the venue. Baltimore and Dallas will be the first teams to play a league fixture there, which puts unusual attention on everything surrounding the game, the playing surface included.
What happens next
The Ravens travel to Brazil for the game, and both teams will see the field for themselves once they are there. No inspection has been announced, and no statement has been issued on whether the surface will be changed before kick-off.
For Baltimore, the trip ends with a game against Dallas. Jackson's position on the field is on the record; the state of the surface itself is not, and will not be until the two teams are in Rio.
Frequently asked questions
- Which teams are playing in the NFL's first game in Rio de Janeiro?
- The Baltimore Ravens face the Dallas Cowboys at Maracanã Stadium, in what will be the league's first game staged in Rio de Janeiro.
- What has Lamar Jackson said about the Maracanã field?
- The Ravens quarterback has said he is not focusing on the condition of the playing surface, with the comment made a day before the team was due to travel to Brazil.
- Has the condition of the pitch at Maracanã been confirmed?
- No description of the surface has been made public, and it is not yet known whether it will be inspected, re-laid or given any specific preparation before the game.
- Have the Cowboys or the NFL commented on the playing surface?
- Neither has issued a public statement about the Maracanã field, and no plan for inspecting or changing it before kick-off has been set out.
