A troublesome issue the last time Chiefs played at Dallas could again be a factor
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chiefs-Cowboys kickoff at 3:30 p.m. Thanksgiving could face sun glare.
- AT&T Stadium west-end glass lets sunlight blind receivers on specific routes.
- Cowboys staff use satellite imaging and timing plans to mitigate sunlight risk.
The forecast looks great for the Chiefs’ game against the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Thanksgiving Day: Sunny and a high of 59 degrees.
Even if rain threatened the Arlington, Texas, area, it wouldn’t be a problem for the game because AT&T Stadium is a dome.
The sun, however, could be an issue. Sliding glass doors at the stadium have caused problems for players who have lost the ball in the sun. That includes during the Chiefs’ last visit to AT&T Stadium in 2017.
Cowboys receivers Dez Bryant and Brice Butler both blamed the sun for dropped passes during Dallas’ 28-17 win over the Chiefs. A blinding light came through the windows behind the west end zone, according to a Fort Worth Star-Telegram story.
“The sun really is that big a deal,” Bryant said. “I was going across as I was going up. The ball caught the light and I lost it a little bit. I told coach, ‘Hey man there’s nothing I can do about that one.’ These fans can go to hell today.”
With the Chiefs-Cowboys game set to begin at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, the potential exists for the sun again causing problems.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer, who was an assistant for the Chiefs when his father, Marty, was head coach, downplayed any issues last month.
“Well, I’ve been here for a little while, and I’ve heard about it,” Schottenheimer joked with reporters, per Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press. “Hey, look, if you guys could see the process and the plan we have in place to figure it out. We have satellite imaging. We have pictures of the sun, when it’s coming down. There’s a big plan and process. But I think when you look at historically at what’s happened it really hasn’t affected many situations.
“We plan for it. The opponents plan for it. But at the end of the day, it’s something that we’re aware of. It’s very beautiful. It’s majestic when the sun comes through there.”
This story was originally published November 26, 2025 at 10:15 AM.
