Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson trusts the NFL's turf experts amid concerns about the state of the field for Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro.
"I believe the NFL does a great job at having their specialists go out there and look over the fields," Jackson told ESPN's Jamison Hensley on Wednesday. "I cannot worry about that. I just have to worry about getting us a dub in Brazil. (As for) the field, we have played on bad fields plenty of times, so I cannot really dwell on that."
The Ravens and Cowboys will play the third NFL regular-season game ever held in Brazil and the first at Rio's historic Maracana Stadium. The league hosted its 2024 and 2025 matchups in the country at Sao Paulo's Arena Corinthians.
Concerns about the playing surface at Maracana Stadium began last week when professional soccer players complained about the field. In an attempt to improve the turf's durability, the stadium's operators will install a different type of grass in 2027, according to Brazilian outlet Globo.
Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said he doesn't believe the NFL would risk its players' health with an unsafe playing surface.
"I know the players are the product in this league," Hamilton said. "As soon as we lose 'putting the players forward' is when we lose the league. I am sure the league knows that and they are doing their best to put us in the position to be safe. So, that is not really in the forefront of my mind right now."
