In their Week 10 blowout loss to the Eagles, Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb missed an easy touchdown catch and blamed the sun’s glare, a recurring issue with AT&T Stadium’s design. However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has remained adamant that his open-concept stadium has no issues—especially regarding the glare—arguing that it affects both playing teams and is not really a big factor. This time, when questioned about it, he even had stats to back it up.
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Like other owners, executives, and even the President of the United States, Jones made his way to New Orleans for the upcoming Super Bowl. There, he was approached by Travis Kelce’s ex, Kayla Nicole, interviewing for I Am Athlete. She started with hard-hitting questions about Deion Sanders, and quite unsurprisingly, Jones left the door open to possibly hiring the Buffs coach in the future.
And when Nicole asked about the possibility of adding curtains to block the sunlight, Jones remained firm in his stance. He has been unwavering since the issue first arose in November, making it clear that he has no intention of making any changes. While he might have been taken aback by Nicole’s question, Jones kept his response composed and backed it up with stats.
“Well, first of all, it’s in the other team’s eyes as well,” he said, a point that Jones has been adamant about. Nicole then asked Jerry to clear up if he was saying it was a fair disadvantage, to which he replied yes.
“And we’ve done a study and in 15 years we’ve had two or three balls influenced by that sun. So, not enough,” Jerry further added.
While the response may frustrate some Cowboys fans, it makes sense. Lamb’s incident was the first in years. You’d have to go back to the days of Michael Gallup and Dez Bryant to find another player who complained about the glare.
But in the eyes of many, this is a fixable issue, and fans don’t want a game to be decided because of the sun. Yet, Jones pushed back against those who think it’s just about the game.
He emphasized that the stadium’s positioning was designed to provide the best possible viewing experience, which, in turn, benefits the team and its players financially.
“What it does do for us is have an excellent way, frankly, for fans, which all of those players want those fans to have as great a view as they can. Because that’s what pays their checks. And so, it ain’t just to have ’em out there. That stadium was built for the fans.”
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Jones is an entrepreneur first. He took the Cowboys from an unknown team in the 80s to a powerhouse in the 90s. Ever since, he’s successfully turned the team into the most profitable franchise in all of sports. Any time there’s a chance to back the people who bring him revenue, he’s obviously going to take it. It may upset some die-hard fans, but it’s how he got to where he is today.
That said, considering the Cowboys are the most profitable team in all of sports, you’d expect better planning for their stadium. If that were the case, this ‘glare issue’ wouldn’t even be a discussion.
Perhaps these small changes—and an owner willing to address concerns—are what’s needed to build a true winning culture in Dallas. Maybe next season?
