AT&T Stadium Roof Incident Raises Safety Concerns Ahead of Cowboys Game

ARLINGTON, Texas — A scheduled opening of the AT&T Stadium roof was abruptly called off Monday evening following an incident involving falling debris. As preparations were underway for the Dallas Cowboys‘ game against the Houston Texans, a piece of metal became dislodged and collapsed onto the field, as reported by the Cowboys organization. No injuries were reported as a result of the mishap.

In a statement issued by the Cowboys, it was noted that «a piece of metal came loose and fell to the field [with some additional small debris] while the roof was in the process of opening.» The organization has attributed the incident to high winds, which were prevalent in the Arlington area on Monday. The decision to keep the roof closed was made with safety considerations in mind, and discussions about whether it can be safely reopened in the future are ongoing.

Jeff Kolb of FOX 4 reported sighting another piece of loose metal near the roof structure, adding further concern regarding the current state of the stadium’s retractable roof. AT&T Stadium, opened in 2009, has not seen its roof operated for a Cowboys game since October 2022, when both the roof and the doors were opened for a game resulting in a 49–29 victory over the Chicago Bears.

The incident did not deter pre-game festivities, as fans gathering outside the stadium for tailgating appeared undisturbed by the Cowboys’ recent form or the stadium’s structural issues. The focus remained largely on the enjoyment of the football atmosphere.

Going into Monday night’s match, the Cowboys faced an unfavorable home record, having lost their first four home games of the season, extending their losing streak to five games after including last season’s wild-card defeat. This precarious home form mirrors a challenging period last faced in 2015.