RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys began their preparations in Rio de Janeiro on Friday for their game against the Baltimore Ravens with an eye on the task at hand and not the sights for which the city is known.
Brian Schottenheimer, coaching in his first international game as the Cowboys’ head coach, said players were well aware their visit to Brazil would feel like a business trip.
“It’s a little bit different from other road games,” Schottenheimer said. “We were very up front with the guys early on. You’re not going to have the free time to do what you’d normally do.”
The Cowboys practiced at the training grounds used by local soccer team Flamengo in a remote part of Rio about 26 miles west of the iconic Sugar Loaf mountain. They'll get their first look at the city's historic Maracana Stadium during a walkthrough on Saturday.
The Ravens practiced at the training ground of another soccer club, Botafogo.
The teams arrived in Rio on Friday morning following roughly 10-hour flights. Their game Sunday afternoon will be one of a record nine international contests on the NFL schedule this season.
"It has been a short week but we have a lot of time between now and the game,” said Schottenheimer.
Quarterback Dak Prescott, who will be playing in his first international game, also said the Cowboys are in a “strictly business trip” mode, though he noted he has enjoyed hanging out by the pool with his teammates and had tasted some of the local steaks at lunch.
“It is a place I want to return to as a tourist,” Prescott said, adding that he hopes to see the famous Christ the Redeemer statue from the bus when he heads to the game. “What we are looking for is a win.”
Prescott said he and other members of the team expect to be fully rested by Saturday morning after their long trip.
“This is a first for the majority of the team,” Prescott said. “It is great to have an extra day to massage the game plan.”
The NFL has been playing in Brazil since 2024, but the two previous games were at the 48,000-seat NeoQuimica Arena in Sao Paulo, a larger market where both games were sellouts. Some tickets remain for Sunday's game.
Teams involved in those other games — the Packers, Eagles, Chargers and Chiefs — had more activities in Brazil.
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