• Loading stock data...
Thursday, January 9, 2025

Why Won’t Jerry Jones Hang Curtains for Cowboys Games?

Cowboys receivers have long complained about the sun in AT&T Stadium, but their owner refuses to hang curtains for games.

Nov 10, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) throws a pass against the Dallas Cowboys in the game at AT&T Stadium.
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Maybe the Cowboys should start wearing sunglasses for game day.

CeeDee Lamb’s missed catch Sunday is far from the first time a Cowboys player has struggled with the bright sunlight pouring into AT&T Stadium.

The most frustrating part? The stadium does have blackout curtains that it uses for concerts and other sporting events. But owner Jerry Jones refuses to put them up for the Cowboys.

“By the way, we know where the sun is going to be when we decide to flip the coin or not. We do know where the damn sun is going to be in our own stadium,” Jones said after the game.

Cowboys games with a late-afternoon kickoff have long struggled with a setting sun since the $1.3 billion stadium opened in 2009. On Sunday’s 34–6 loss to the rival Eagles, Lamb dashed across the sun-splashed end zone, and the ball sailed past, missing him by a stride. Afterward, he pointed at his eyes, indicating he couldn’t see the ball. After the game, Lamb confirmed he couldn’t see the ball due to the sunlight, and he said he is “one thousand percent” in favor of curtains. AT&T Stadium recently hung blackout curtains for WrestleMania and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

“Well let’s tear the damn stadium down and build another one? Are you kidding me?” Jones said when asked about curtains. “Everybody has got the same thing. Every team that comes in here has the same issues.

“I’m saying, the world knows where the sun is. You get to know that almost a year in advance. Someone asked me about the sun. What about the sun? Where’s the moon?”

Twice in 2022, including during a playoff game, receivers missed passes because the sun prevented them from seeing the ball.

“Conditions and elements have been a part of football since it was spelled the first time,” Jones said after the January 2022 playoff loss. “That’s about 10,000 on my list of things to worry about. And, no, we’re not going to do anything with it. It goes both ways. Both teams had a chance to get in the sun, both teams had a chance to get out of the sun. Relative to the elements I see other people play in, it’s nothing.”

In 2021, a receiver ducked to avoid getting smacked in the face by a ball he couldn’t see. In 2017, two Cowboys receivers said the sun was a problem during a game and dropped passes. “The sun has not been a factor at all in any win or loss we’ve had in that stadium,” Jones said at the time.

Jones’s obstinance comes at a struggling time for the franchise, with a 3–6 record, a quarterback facing a season-ending injury, and a red-hot Chiefs squad coming for their title of America’s Team. The team’s next late-afternoon kickoff at home is on Thanksgiving Day against the Giants, giving Jerry Jones two and a half weeks to choose between his pleading receivers or his Icarian dreams.

(Update, Nov. 11, 4:53 p.m.: Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys are aware of sun-blocking technology. The team put out a shield to block the sun from getting in McCarthy’s face at his Monday afternoon press conference.)

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

President Joe Biden celebrated the 2024 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 30, 2024.

U.S. Government Didn’t Pay 2024 Dues to World Anti-Doping Agency

Michael Phelps testified against WADA in Congress this summer.

Cotton Bowl Proceeding As Planned Despite Storm As Prices Plummet

Texas and Ohio State are set to face off Friday night in Dallas.

2024 NFL TV Ratings Fall 2%, Still Dominate TV Landscape

Regular-season ratings decline by 2.2% after last year’s growth.

ESPN Programming Chief Takes Victory Lap Over Bowl Season Ratings

Non-CFP bowl games drew millions in viewers this year.

Featured Today

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a first-down catch against Oregon during the 2025 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

The Biggest Changes to College Sports Are Coming in 2025

Sweeping developments could affect the college sports foundation this year.
Dec 31, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) walks out to the rink before the Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field
January 1, 2025

Glitzy NHL New Year’s Eve Winter Classic Showcased Connor Bedard’s Star Power

The business of Bedard—on full display—is crucial for the NHL.
Pop-Tarts bowl tropfy
December 27, 2024

‘I Want to Play in That Game’: How the Pop-Tarts Bowl Went..

The bowl has players saying, “I want to play in that game.”
NHL Winter Classic 2024
December 26, 2024

NHL, TNT Pinning High Hopes on First New Year’s Eve Winter Classic

Can the dream setting of Wrigley Field lift flagging viewership?

Bears Grapple With Coaching Search, Stadium Plans, and Power Struggles

The NFL team relies heavily on president and CEO Kevin Warren.
Jan 29, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) is guarded by Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center.
January 7, 2025

As Butler Eliminates Options, Heat Face Expensive Dilemma

Butler is in the middle of a seven-game suspension.
January 7, 2025

Raiders Coaching Search Fuels Tom Brady Conflict Questions

Potential conflicts between part-owner, broadcasting roles again rise to the forefront.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Brent Rooker
January 7, 2025

A’s Keep Shelling Out Cash With Payroll Grievance Looming

They’ve never had a payroll eclipse $100 million but might have to.
Dec 1, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (left) on the bench with forward Kevin Durant (center) and guard Devin Booker against the Denver Nuggets at Footprint Center.
January 6, 2025

Suns Bench a Third of League-High Payroll As Jimmy Butler Rumors Swirl

The Suns are outside of the play-in picture with a 16–18 record.
Jon Gruden
exclusive
January 2, 2025

Jon Gruden Expected to Be ‘Hot’ NFL Head Coaching Candidate Despite Suit,..

Gruden’s lawsuit isn’t expected to hinder his potential return to the NFL.
December 30, 2024

Darnold Dilemma: Will QB Breakout Lead Vikings to Ditch Low-Cost Succession?

Minnesota is 14–2 and vying for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.