The Dallas Cowboys have only opened the retractable roof of AT&T Stadium, which cost over $1 billion to build, on 30 occasions during their 126 regular season home games, with the most recent instance occurring in October 2022.
During an attempt to open the roof for a Monday night matchup against the Houston Texans, a mechanical malfunction caused a substantial piece of metal to plummet hundreds of feet onto the field. Fortunately, this event transpired several hours before the game started, resulting in no injuries or delays.
“We can confirm a piece of metal came loose and fell to the field while the roof was in the process of opening,” the Cowboys commented regarding the debris incident on Monday. “There were no injuries. It is being reviewed further, and a decision regarding the ability to re-open the roof safely will be made when possible.”
This incident marked the second at AT&T Stadium within a month. Just the previous week, owner Jerry Jones defended the venue’s design, which has led to afternoon sun glare causing a dropped touchdown by Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb during their November 10 game.
Lamb voiced his support for the installation of curtains to block sunlight, while Jones contended that such measures were unnecessary.
Last Friday, Jones was able to fulfill his hosting responsibilities during the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight at AT&T Stadium, attracting over 70,000 attendees. Netflix reported that the event garnered an additional 60 million viewers at home.
Jones was featured on Netflix’s broadcast, highlighting the event. “This arguably is one of the great events in sports,” he stated, noting that he had envisioned global showcases when designing the facility.
Despite recent issues on the field and mechanical failures at AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys continue to hold the title of the most valuable sports franchise globally, according to Sportico‘s NFL valuations. They maintain a loyal fan base nationwide, with broadcasts expected to achieve impressive television ratings, even in the absence of starting quarterback Dak Prescott.
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