Dak Prescott is about to play his first international game in 11 NFL seasons, but the Cowboys quarterback is treating the trip to Brazil as more than just a new experience.

Dallas arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Friday morning before heading to Flamengo’s training grounds for practice. Prescott said he was surprised it took this long to play outside the United States, but he is excited about what the game can bring to a new audience.

“Surprised it's been this long, but excited it's here and it's in Brazil for the first time, a place I've never been,” Prescott said. “Obviously just trying to expand the game to all the different places, understanding the game has been here, but not the Cowboys brand of football and not the organization…”

For Prescott, that means introducing more fans and young players to football while representing one of the NFL’s most recognizable teams.

“We're excited about our game plan, we've got answers for whatever they're going to do,” Prescott said, according to Dallascowboys.com. “We want to be the aggressors; we want to make them play on their heels and bring our best game to them.”

That preparation includes studying Ravens head coach Jesse Minter, who faced Dallas last season as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator. The Cowboys put up 340 yards in that game but lost 34-17.

“Being able to go back and watch what this head coach did against us in LA last year, that game has been huge for us just in our game plan and us trying to break down things,” Prescott said. “They make adjustments, we make adjustments.”

Brian Schottenheimer and his staff also got the game plan ready early, giving the Cowboys an extra day to go over everything while staying together at the hotel.

The Cowboys have kept the trip simple, with families staying home and the team limiting its activities to a Saturday walk-through at Maracanã Stadium before Sunday’s game.

“Not a lot goes into that for me. I trust my equipment, the cleats that I'm going to have,” Prescott said. “If it's the surface we're going to play on, let's go do it.”

The game also gives Prescott a chance to connect with Cowboys fans in Brazil and potentially introduce football to people seeing the team live for the first time.

“It's something that I think about each and every game, is 'Who's watching for the first time?' Or, 'Who's trying to pick up this game, and how can I inspire them?'” Prescott said.

For Prescott, that is part of what makes the Brazil trip different. The Cowboys still have a game to win, but they also have a chance to leave new fans with something to remember.

But the Brazil trip has also brought questions about the Maracanã field.

Is Dak Prescott letting the Brazil field concerns bother him?

Dak Prescott isn’t spending much time thinking about the playing surface waiting for the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil.

Dallas arrived in Rio de Janeiro ahead of its Week 3 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, with concerns around the Maracanã Stadium field becoming part of the conversation before Sunday’s game.

“Not a lot goes into that for me. I trust my equipment, the cleats that I'm going to have,” Prescott said, according to Heavy. “Not really even looking into the news about how people feel about the field.”

For Prescott, the approach is straightforward. If the game is cleared to be played, he is ready to go.

“If it's the surface we're going to play on, let's go do it,” he said. “One way or another, obviously if they're going to allow the game to be played, it's good enough.”

He also joked about the conditions he has played on before, saying, “Where I'm from, I've played on worse. Been tackled on concrete.”

Prescott now turns his attention to the Ravens as the Cowboys prepare for their first game in Brazil.

Written by

Debanjali Rakshit