The Dallas Cowboys, fresh off their first victory of the young NFL season, are facing an entirely new challenge going into their Week 3 game. And it’s not just the matchup against two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
The game will be played in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the first-ever NFL game in the city and only the second international game in Cowboys history.
Here is how the team is tackling the rest of the week.
The Cowboys will practice at the Star in Frisco on Thursday afternoon. After that, they will board a charter flight from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport scheduled to depart at 8:30 p.m.
The Cowboys’ charter flight will arrive in Rio de Janeiro at 8:35 a.m. local time, which is two hours ahead of Central time.
Later on Friday, they will hold a practice at the Flamengo soccer team’s training facility. Flamengo is one of the largest and most popular soccer clubs in Brazil, based in Rio. They also play their home games at Maracanã Stadium, where Sunday’s game will take place.
At 11 a.m. local time on Saturday, the Cowboys will have what they are calling a “walk-around” at Maracanã Stadium.
“The reason we do that is we want them to, number one, see the environment. It’s supposed to be a really cool, historic stadium,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “Then get out on the field. They’ll check out the grass and certain areas and things like that. And just give them a chance to look around and relax. And I think that’s important.”
Other than the Friday practice and the Saturday walk-around, Cowboys players, coaches and staff will not leave the team hotel.
Wide receiver Ryan Flournoy said that building camaraderie with his teammates is what he is looking forward to most. “We are going to be in a little bubble, so just bonding with the team, like a training camp feeling. So, I’m excited to bond with the team,” he said.
The first bus will depart the team hotel for the stadium at around noon local time, more than five hours before kickoff.
The game is scheduled to kick off at 5:25 p.m. local time, or 3:25 p.m. Central time. Jim Nantz and JJ Watt will be on the call for CBS, with the game airing on CBS Texas and Paramount+.
After the game, the team will head to the airport for a charter flight back to DFW that is expected to arrive at about 7:45 a.m. on Monday.
