The Dallas Cowboys are facing the Baltimore Ravens this week in Brazil for Rio’s first NFL game. But at the same time, the field issue has remained a major concern for player safety for roughly two weeks before kickoff. The stadium’s grass had already been subjected to a heavy Brazilian soccer schedule, with Flamengo and Fluminense regularly playing there, while Rio had experienced unusually heavy rainfall during the preceding six weeks.

Now, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has addressed the criticism surrounding the field in Rio while acknowledging that the concern is for soccer players rather than NFL players.

“You know, Stephen, the complaints that you’ve heard were for the soccer players that were playing on this field,” Goodell told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. “So they have a different barometer, a different standard. Theirs is about the ball rolling smoothly on a grass field, right? That’s not our issue. Our issue is stability in it. Proper footing and they’re two different things. We saw that in the World Cup.

“And so what we’re working with the players’ association, but also with all of our partners, is trying to improve the technology both for grass and artificial fields and make it consistent. We think the big thing is consistency in the field so the players can adjust from player from practice to games, and when you go into a different market you’re having one game here and what we’ve had is our experts down here. They’re confident in the ability of the field to hold up in a an NFL standard, and that’s what we’re going to continue to work toward.”

The league took control of the stadium almost a week ago and began preparing the field for the Cowboys-Ravens matchup, with crews working on the surface from Monday. At the same time, an NFL tarp was also shipped to Rio to help protect the grass from the weather.

However, it’s worth noting that the problems on the field became particularly visible even before the league took control of the stadium. Following the September 17 Flamengo match against Independiente del Valle, Flamengo players publicly criticized the surface.

Midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta said the field was getting progressively worse, while also adding:

“We can’t let them come in like this and let us play. We have to impose ourselves. But for that we need a good field. We’ve been suffering a lot in these last few games. The pitch is getting worse and worse, harder and harder to control the ball. We try to play fast. If you want to be champion, you have to look for a solution. We can’t allow the field to be in this condition with the team we have.”

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Agustín Rossi criticized the condition of the penalty areas and pointed to bumps and poor areas of the grass.

“You don’t even need to talk about the field; it’s there for everyone to see,” Rossi told the Brazilian outlet ge, via A to Z Sports. “The way we play, it’s unbelievable that we’re playing on a field like this. Both penalty areas are bad… If you look at it, there are bumps everywhere. There’s still going to be an NFL game here during the international break. After that game, I hope the field is in better shape.”

The NFL has been hosting games in Brazil for a couple of years now. However, it’s the first time any NFL team is playing at Maracanã Stadium, home to the Brazilian soccer team Flamengo.

But the way things are shaping up, it’s safe to say that the league’s decision to host a game in Rio has reignited the debate around artificial turf vs. natural grass. NFLPA executive director JC Tretter also issued a detailed statement explaining the union’s concerns about the players and their health.

“Our number one priority is the health and safety of our players,” Tretter wrote in a statement. “The concern heading into this week was that the field would be loose, patchy, and lead to excessive slipping. Those conditions are generally more of a playability and performance issue than a significant injury concern.

“But safety isn’t the only standard. Players should be able to perform at the level they expect of themselves and that fans expect from them. A thin, slick field may not present the same risks as a surface with too much traction, but it still affects performance and the quality of the game.”

That said, the Cowboys are entering Week 3 after recording the first win of the season against the Washington Commanders last week. The Ravens, meanwhile, had a good start to the season but dropped their Week 2 matchup to the New Orleans Saints. Now both teams will face off in Rio’s first NFL game amid major field concerns.