The Dallas Cowboys are preparing for one of the most unusual “home” games in franchise history, and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo believes the setup leaves Dak Prescott and his teammates with the worst of both worlds.
Dallas will officially host the Baltimore Ravens at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, but the Cowboys will do so without AT&T Stadium, without their usual home crowd and after a flight that stretches well beyond 10 hours.
Russo argued on ESPN’s First Take that the arrangement strips Dallas of a genuine home-field advantage while still exposing the team to all the physical demands of international travel.
“To me, I think this is a terrible job by Jerry Jones,” Russo said. “It’s great for the NFL, but I am not playing a home game 10 hours away in Rio de Janeiro.”
Cowboys giving away too much
Russo’s criticism went beyond the distance. Dallas is entering a demanding stretch. The Brazil trip is followed by a road game against the Houston Texans, then a short turnaround before facing Tampa Bay on a Thursday.
That creates three games in 11 days. Russo said he wouldn’t willingly put a team in that position.
“That’s 10 hours, 11 hours to go to Rio to play a football game and it’s a Dallas home game,” Russo said. “I, as an owner of a football team, I am not putting my team in that situation.”
He also questioned the logic of removing Baltimore from the Cowboys’ normal environment.
“To me, it’s a competitive disadvantage,” Russo added. “Would you rather play Lamar Jackson in Dallas? Or would you rather play Lamar Jackson on a neutral field in Rio?”
Prescott taking more pragmatic approach
Prescott has already acknowledged the challenges, but the quarterback hasn’t treated them as an excuse.
“The travel will be tough, but it’s part of growing this game,” Prescott said after the schedule was announced. “We’ll manage. We’ll figure out the best way to take care of our bodies.”
He also pointed to Dallas’ annual Thanksgiving scheduling as evidence that the team is familiar with compressed stretches.
“We’ve been a part of three games in 11 days every year pretty much with our Thanksgiving Day game, so it’s nothing new,” Prescott said. “We just have to do it earlier.”
Jones is taking heat
Russo directed his frustration toward Jones, but the international schedule is ultimately part of the NFL’s broader strategy to expand globally.
That makes the criticism more complicated than simply blaming the Cowboys owner. Jones has also indicated that Mexico would be his preferred international destination rather than Brazil.
Still, the practical concern remains. Dallas is sacrificing a traditional home date against a dangerous Ravens team led by Jackson and Derrick Henry, then returning to the United States for a demanding stretch with little recovery time.
Russo’s argument is that the NFL gains a global showcase. The Cowboys, meanwhile, lose the advantages usually attached to being the home team.
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