Record Rain, Soft Grass and Extra Stitching: Getting Maracanã Ready for Football

Rio de Janeiro has had record rain for six weeks, and the grass at Maracanã shows it. With the Cowboys and Ravens set to play the NFL's first game in the city on Sunday, field experts from both the league and the players' union have spent days on the surface.

Their verdict, according to NFLPA executive director JC Tretter, was that the field lacked traction and stability. The fix was reinforced stitching to hold the turf together, plus equipment brought in to shore up as much of the field as they could before kickoff.

Tretter framed the risk carefully. A loose, patchy field that makes players slip is more a performance problem than a major injury danger, he said, but safety isn't the only standard, and a slick surface still lowers the quality of the game fans came to see.

The league's field director, Nick Pappas, said Monday there has been no talk of moving the game and that the challenges are manageable. The questions started last week, when local soccer players complained about the grass.

Both teams flew in Thursday night and practiced Friday. They'll step on the actual field for the first time at Saturday's walkthroughs. Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said players are the product and he trusts the league to protect them.