It is not always easy for Dallas Cowboys receivers to catch the ball at AT&T stadium. The atmosphere and conditions are specific in Dallas, not only thanks to the loyal fans but also because of the sun. There is a giant hole in the roof through which the sunbeams pas trough. This phenomenon affects the catchers especially when the ball is going down after deep passes.
During the broadcast of the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Dallas Cowboys game, former Cowboys QB turned broadcaster Tony Romo said that this is an issue for receivers more than it’s for quarterbacks. Dez Bryant also confirmed this to Jon Machota from The Dallas Morning News. During one of the plays Bryant failed to catch the ball because the sun was in his eyes, so he refused to be criticized for it. And he was right; we can’t expect Dez to control the weather.
Tony Romo says dealing with the sun at AT&T Stadium is overblown. Said it doesn’t really bother QBs. Bigger problem for WRs.
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 5, 2017
On the subject, Bryant said: “The sun really is that big of a deal. The ball caught the light, and I lost it a little bit. I went to the sidelines and said, ‘Coach, there’s nothing I can do about it.These fans [criticizing me on that play] can go to hell today. There’s nothing I can do about that.”
So to be fair, it is not right to criticize Bryant. In any other stadium, he would catch the ball easily. Because nowhere but in Dallas, the sun is such a big problem. The years spent playing in AT&T stadium won’t help you get used to bright Texas sun.
The Dallas franchise had a chance to deal with the sun when transferring from Texas Stadium to AT&T. But, they decided to keep this feature that allows the sun to penetrate the stadium, sometimes at the expense of their results. But when you think about it, it does make sense. The Jones family opted for this stadium design for one reason, and one reason only. They wanted to be sure that God is allowed to watch his favorite team every Sunday.
