The NFL is going to play international games come hell or high grass, or slippery, dangerous grass. That’s the message the league is sending on Sunday when the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys play in Brazil‘s Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
All week long, the NFL has had its field experts and groundskeepers on the, um, ground to make sure Lamar Jackson can run and cut like he typically can. They want Dak Prescott knowing his receivers will come out of their breaks without breaking their necks.
And that required some extreme work.
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Workers were still trimming the turf on Saturday. The Associated Press reported some were using scissors to level the high grass.
No, seriously.
Scissors.
The NFL also gave the field an application of fiber using the new GrassMaster Stitch Machine.
So, these guys are trying everything.
Earlier reports had players from both teams showing concern about the field and the NFL Players Association issuing a statement expressing its concern.
Sounds like a player injury waiting to happen.
Ultimately, NFL Field Director Nick Pappas said Saturday, “Things check out. No need to worry.” He even posted a video of the field at 12:54 Sunday morning that shows how nice it looks.
But even that video is problematic.
Posting it at that time is evidence of how late it was before the league thought the field ready for play.
And, of course, the field looking good before a player steps on it on Sunday is not a predictor of how well it will hold up.
Earlier this week, Pappas offered a more sobering message about this field in particular and international fields in general.
“Our fields are where they are today in America because of how long we’ve worked at it,” Pappas told reporters. “Not everywhere we travel is going to have the same resources, same climate, same available type of grass, same tools at their beck and call like we have in the United States.
“It becomes challenging. How can we put it on a plane and fly it there? Just like the rest of the game: what can we put on a plane, what can we put on a ship, and how do we execute to make it a successful Sunday?”
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At minimum, Pappas is admitting playing these NFL games internationally, and specifically in Brazil, is a challenge.
At worst, he’s fueling the idea that some fields are a hazard to players. That was obviously one of NFLPA Executive Director JC Tretter’s concerns when he released a statement about the situation.
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“This reinforces one of our concerns about international expansion,” Tretter said. “Two of the three games played in Brazil have had field-related issues. That’s not a coincidence. This time of year makes it extremely challenging to maintain the kind of grass surface we expect at the NFL level.
“Our guys are exceptional at what they do, and I’m confident they’ll put on a terrific game in Rio this week. They always do. But we owe it to them to provide the best possible opportunity to succeed. Players can overcome a lot. But they shouldn’t have to overcome the field.”
