Jerry Jones addresses major change to Cowboys’ $1.3bn stadium that could ‘surprise our fans’

The 2026 World Cup introduced international soccer fans to the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium.

The stadium, which has a capacity of 105,000 and is also known as Jerry World (after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones), hosted eight World Cup matches this summer, including the semifinal between France and eventual tournament winners Spain.

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However, the $1.3 billion arena has had a big sun problem since it opened in 2009.

The field faces east and west, instead of north and south.

Once the time changes, the glare from the sun inside the stadium can be overwhelming on the field, with the defect causing several issues.

In 2024, Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and his teammates kicked up a fuss when he dropped a pass because the sun was in his eyes.

“I couldn’t see the ball. Couldn’t see the ball, at all. The sun,” Lamb explained.

Jones, though, is a massive fan of the giant glass walls at either end zone that allow fans to see right through his stadium.

“We know where the sun is going to be when we flip the coin, so we do know where the damn sun is going to be in our own stadium,” Jones said.

“Let’s just tear the damn stadium down and build another one. Are you kidding me?”

The owner of the world’s most valuable sports franchise has been reluctant to put up a massive curtain for NFL games.

But FIFA took a much more strict approach during the World Cup when massive blackout curtains were put up to block the sun on the stadium’s west end ahead of a game between Japan and Sweden.

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CBS

“It’s not as majestic,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said of the decision.

“(Soccer fans are) gonna miss the experience.”

Ahead of the Cowboys taking on the Washington Commanders in their home opener this weekend, Jones was once again asked if he plans to tint the windows inside AT&T Stadium.

“I really don’t know about that at all,” Jones said when asked on 105.3 The Fan on Friday. “So, no, not necessarily.”

Jones added, “No, I don’t think so. I don’t know of any plans to surprise our fans.”

That may come as surprise to Lamb, who recently said he thought a tint job might be in the works.

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“I think they’re gonna put some tint,” Lamb said. “I think they’re going to put tint on the glass now, so we’ll see.”

Schottenheimer then said he felt like “anything’s possible” when asked about the potential tint.

After a much-talked about offseason, the Cowboys’ high expectations for the 2026 season were brought crashing back down to earth in Week 1 with a humbling 28-20 loss to the New York Giants.

During his same radio appearance, Jones simultaneously admitted that the Giants were better than he thought they were and his Cowboys were not as good as he expected.

“They just did a good job all over,” Jones said about the Giants.

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“And I will tell you, they were better than we thought they were. I’m anxious to see how New York continues to play, but I really — combination of things. We didn’t play as well as we should play and can play, but they played better than I thought they could.”

“We’re not at the level that we thought we would be,” he went on.

“I can give you a lot of reasons, logical reasons. We’re dealing with a conceptually new coaching staff, dealing with a ‘new’ to a lot of people out there. The defensive scheme. And then you’re dealing with people who are fresh into that scheme. Now, you got some really veteran players out there. But still, they’re changing up some of the things that they’re doing. Are they capable of doing what we’re asking? Absolutely they are.

“But the bottom line is that the last time, frankly, the last time that, from my perspective, that we had as many changes on defense, we had as many changes with the coaching staff, had as much change with the personnel, and had as much change with the team was the first year Jimmy Johnson was our coach, and we won one football game.

“Now, things have changed, and you can come in with less experience than you could in those days. But having said that, it’s a challenge now to put it together and get it ready to go. We didn’t play well last week. I said — what I meant to say was, New York had really more to do with it than I thought they would. Than I thought they would. And so that’s a factor. But Washington could have a lot to do with it here Sunday, too, so we’ve got to be ready to step up the level of play. There’s no question.”

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