Cause of Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium roof mishap before Houston Texans game revealed
Strong winds were reportedly to blame for the metal falling from the roof. Wind gusts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, not far from Arlington, peaked at 52 mph Monday afternoon.
Piece of metal falls from AT&T Stadium roof ahead of Dallas Cowboys game
No one was injured when the metal fell. FOX 4 Dallas Sports Reporter Sam Gannon was on the field when the incident happened.
ARLINGTON, Texas – A sheet of metal from the retractable roof of AT&T Stadium fell onto the field ahead of the Dallas Cowboys game Monday night as the roof was being opened.
According to a statement from a Dallas Cowboys spokesperson released to FOX 4 Dallas, no one was hurt by the falling metal.
Before Monday night, the stadium's retractable roof hadn't been opened for a Cowboys home game since October 2022, FOX 4 Dallas reported.
Strong winds were reportedly to blame for the metal falling from the roof, the spokesperson told FOX 4 Dallas.
At about 4:30 p.m., wind gusts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, not far from Arlington, peaked at 52 mph, according to a National Weather Service climate report.
The arches that support the roof are nearly 300 feet above the field at their highest point, FOX Sports reported.
![ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 18: A worker secures a metal sheet prior to an NFL football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium on November 18, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.]()
Image 1 of 3ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 18: A worker secures a metal sheet prior to an NFL football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium on November 18, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. ( Perry Knotts)
![ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 18: A member of the stadium fixes a part of the roof prior to the game between the Houston Texans and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 18, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.]()
Image 2 of 3ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 18: A member of the stadium fixes a part of the roof prior to the game between the Houston Texans and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 18, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Sam Hodde)
![A piece of sheet metal fell to the AT&T Stadium playing surface when the roof was opened prior to Monday's NFL game. Officials later closed the roof prior to the Cowboys-Texans game.]()
Image 3 of 3A piece of sheet metal fell to the AT&T Stadium playing surface when the roof was opened prior to Monday's NFL game. Officials later closed the roof prior to the Cowboys-Texans game. (Amanda McCoy/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service)
The Cowboys' spokesperson's full statement about the incident read: "We can confirm 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. 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."
FOX 4 Dallas reported the roof was closed shortly after the incident on Monday night.
AT&T Stadium opened in 2009.