Dallas Cowboys Players Can Now Live Vicariously Through FIFA World Cup

Jerry Jones hasn't been willing to budge on two requests Dallas Cowboys players have for AT&T Stadium, but the FIFA World Cup is checking both boxes.

A general view of the field as flag runners run by after a Dallas Cowboys score against the Detroit Lions at AT&T Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

A point of contention for Dallas Cowboys players, and really any NFL players who have had to take the field at AT&T Stadium for an early-evening game over the years, has been the Sun. Yes, that's right, the Sun.

With the way AT&T Stadium is built, the sun shines through the windows on the venue and the glare can be blinding, which is a clear problem for players on both sides.

Yet, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been unwilling to block out the sun, even after his star receiver CeeDee Lamb was vocal about making a change after missing out on a touchdown catch in 2024.

“I couldn’t see the ball. Couldn’t see the ball, at all. The sun," Lamb said, before adding that he would "one thousand percent" like to see curtains up when the glare is bad.

A general view of the field of the game between the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Jones was having none of that.

“By the way, we know where the sun is going to be when we flip the coin, so we do know where the damn sun is going to be in our own stadium,” Jones said. “Let’s just tear the damn stadium down and build another one.”

The problem with Jerry's logic is the Cowboys don't always get to pick the preferred side of the field, and lest we forget that teams switch sides during games, too.

Bear in mind, the stadium already has curtains installed for other events, including concerts, so this is not something Jones has to spend money on to add. It's already there!

FIFA World Cup will use the curtains

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

In what is a development that will surely frustrate Lamb and every other player who has an issue with the sun at AT&T Stadium, the FIFA World Cup plans on using the curtains for one game, according to Margaret Fleming of Front Office Sports.

"A FIFA spokesperson tells Front Office Sports that it plans to use the curtains during only one match, which kicks off in the early evening," Fleming reported on Wednesday.

To be clear, this was not Jones' decision because FIFA "controls all stadiums during the World Cup," a Cowboys spokesperson told Front Office Sports.

This is the second change AT&T Stadium is undergoing in order to host World Cup matches. The other was installing a grass field to replace the artificial turn, which Lamb has also been vocal about.

And that's something Jones hasn't been willing to budge on, either.

“No,” Jones said when asked about switching to grass. “We have more flexibility with the way we handle our surface at the stadium. We have no belief that it’s any safer to play on grass. The turf, actually like many things, improves the economics of being able to play this game and our players are the biggest benefactor of all. They get the best benefit of when we do good things financially, the players benefit. So I’m working for you, baby, if you’re a player.”

NFL players believe grass fields are safer and there will be less injuries if teams would install them. The league has claimed that there is no definitive data proving this is the case.

Whatever the case may be, if Cowboys players want to visualize what it would be like to block out the glare and play on a grass field, they can just tune into the World Cup.

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