The Dallas Cowboys vs. The Sun: A Battle for Visibility at AT&T Stadium
DAK PRESCOTT DIDN’T have much to say about it after the game. By the time he threw his second interception early in the fourth quarter against the Lions, the Cowboys were already down by 31 points. The $240 million quarterback wasn’t just battling Detroit’s defense—he was also up against an unexpected opponent: the sun. On a critical fourth-down play, Prescott launched a deep pass toward midfield, but instead of connecting with his receiver Jalen Brooks, the ball found Lions safety Brian Branch. The culprit? A blinding glare from the southwest-facing windows of AT&T Stadium.
“He’s staring right into the sun,” Tom Brady remarked during Fox’s broadcast as the replay of the interception aired.
It was October 13 in Arlington, Texas, and the sun was beginning its descent just before 6 p.m. Central Time, streaming through the massive glass panels in the southwest end zone of AT&T Stadium. A month later, during another 3:25 p.m. game against the Eagles, the sun struck again, this time blinding tight end Jake Ferguson and receiver CeeDee Lamb on a crucial second-down play from Philadelphia’s 3-yard line. Ferguson raised his hands in surrender as the ball sailed past him, while Lamb, wide open in the end zone, couldn’t react in time. After the play, Lamb gestured to his eyes, signaling the issue.
“I couldn’t see the ball,” Lamb said after the game. “The sun.”
Should AT&T Stadium Get Curtains?
Lamb didn’t mince words when asked if curtains could solve the problem. “One thousand percent,” he said. But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dismissed the idea with his trademark bravado. “Let’s just tear the damn stadium down and build another one. Are you kidding me?” Jones quipped, brushing off the suggestion despite mounting complaints from players and opponents alike.
AT&T Stadium’s unique design is at the heart of the issue. The field runs on a southwest-northeast axis, and the five towering glass panels in the southwest end zone funnel sunlight directly onto the field during late-afternoon games. This isn’t just a Cowboys problem; visiting teams have also struggled with the glare. The New York Giants, who play the Cowboys this Thursday at 3:25 p.m. CT, declined to comment on how they prepare for the sun, citing competitive reasons. But make no mistake—teams are scouting the sun in Arlington.
Players and Coaches Weigh In
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce didn’t hold back on his New Heights podcast. “That f—ing glare coming through that end zone in the afternoon is f—ing ridiculous,” Kelce said. “It’s like the glass makes it f—ing spread more. It’s like the sun is bigger and brighter than it’s ever f—ing been.”
Former Cowboys receiver Brice Butler, who played at AT&T Stadium from 2015-2018, believes the debate is pointless. “It sucked, but our coaches would say, you just gotta make plays,” Butler said. “You’re paid to make plays, so…”
Butler even approached Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones about the issue back in 2017 after a game against the Chiefs where both he and Dez Bryant lost balls to the sun. “Dak threw me a nice rope nine ball [fade route], and I was open,” Butler recalled. “I was trying to catch in the sun, and I squeezed my hands closed right as the ball got to my hand, so I didn’t catch it.”
Does the Sun Really Matter?
Statistically, the sun’s impact is debatable. According to ESPN research, Cowboys receivers have actually dropped fewer passes (3.4%) in late-afternoon games at AT&T Stadium compared to other time slots (4.4%). Division opponents have a similar drop rate in late-afternoon games (3.2%) as they do in other games (4.3%).
However, the Cowboys’ struggles this season have reignited the debate. Two of the team’s three worst catch percentages in late-afternoon home games with Prescott have come this year. In all home games this season, the Cowboys have caught just 61% of their targets, ranking 31st in the NFL.
Strategizing Around the Sun
Teams are clearly aware of the sun’s impact. When Dallas played Philadelphia on November 10, the Eagles won the coin toss and chose to defend the west goal, forcing the Cowboys to face the sun in the second quarter. Former Cowboys coach Jason Garrett used to defer on coin tosses to control field direction, but even he admitted the sun creates a dilemma. “You don’t want the sun in your eyes, as far as your receivers, if it’s the fourth quarter, because you may have to throw the ball,” Garrett said. “But then your quarterback is looking into the sun.”
What’s Next?
Thursday’s game against the Giants falls right in the “perfect storm” of the year for sun glare, according to meteorologist Rick Mitchell. “It’s easier for the sun’s rays to beam through that big set of windows,” Mitchell explained. The forecast? “Chilly and breezy with intervals of clouds and sun.” Whether the sun will play a role remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the debate isn’t going away anytime soon.
Originally Written by: Kalyn Kahler
