Why Cowboys built AT&T Stadium to create crazy sun glare

Billy Heyen

Why Cowboys built AT&T Stadium to create crazy sun glare image

The Dallas Cowboys are set up for a sun game on Sunday.

As long as the clouds stay out of the way, the Cowboys' Week 7 clash with the Washington Commanders will see the sunshine come bursting through the large glass window at AT&T Stadium.

It's one of those things that seems bizarre when it happens. How could Dallas let this be a thing?

But it was on purpose.

It doesn't show up a ton, because the Cowboys have to be playing in the late afternoon window to get the sun at the right position. That's when they're playing in Week 7, so bring your shades.

MORE: How the Eagles helped Carson Wentz end up with the Vikings

Why did the Cowboys build AT&T Stadium with sun window?

The Cowboys wanted an "outdoor feel" indoors, owner Jerry Jones has said in the past.

That's why there's a giant glass wall on the west side of the stadium.

Jones has also said that he thinks it's a home-field advantage for the Cowboys because they're more used to the sun positioning and dealing with it than visiting teams are.

The stadium even has retractable curtains that can be used for other events, but Jones won't bring them out for Cowboys games.

It really feels like it's a fluky situation more than anything. The sun could impact any play at any time, and it all depends just on where a given player has to aim his eyes in a specific moment.

Regardless, the late-afternoon time slot makes it clear: Here comes the sun.

More NFL news:

Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle