Ravens star QB Lamar Jackson is embracing Brazil game vs. the Cowboys

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson offered an enthusiastic reaction Wednesday after the NFL officially announced that the Ravens will face the Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro during the 2026 regular season.

"We lit," Jackson said when asked about Baltimore traveling to Brazil for one of the NFL's marquee international matchups.

The game will mark the first NFL contest played in Rio de Janeiro and continues the league's aggressive international expansion strategy. Baltimore and Dallas are scheduled to meet in Week 3 at Maracanã Stadium, with the Cowboys serving as the designated home team in a matchup expected to become one of the most high-profile games on the international schedule.

>The Ravens-Cowboys showdown will feature two of the league's premier quarterbacks, Jackson and Dak Prescott, while pitting one of the NFL's most recognizable franchises against a Baltimore team expected to enter the season among the AFC contenders.

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“We lit… I love Brazil.” @Lj_era8pic.twitter.com/a59DO269qo

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 27, 2026The matchup also arrives as part of a record-setting international slate.

>Baltimore versus Dallas is one of an NFL-record nine international games scheduled across seven different countries during the 2026 season. The league has continued expanding its global footprint in recent years, and Brazil has quickly emerged as a growing market for professional football.

>The Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers played the NFL's first game in Brazil during the 2024 season in São Paulo. One year later, the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers also traveled there as the league deepened its presence in the country.

>Now the NFL is expanding further with its first game in Rio de Janeiro.

"We are proud to welcome the Dallas Cowboys to Brazil for the first-ever NFL game in Rio de Janeiro," NFL Brazil general manager Luis Martinez said in a statement. "Introducing one of the league's most iconic teams to the Maracanã Stadium marks a powerful milestone in the continued growth of the sport worldwide."

Martinez also emphasized the NFL's long-term commitment to the Brazilian market and its passionate football fan base.

>The Ravens were long viewed as a logical candidate for an international appearance because of both Jackson's star power and Baltimore's scheduling position entering the season. A second-place finish in the AFC North gave Jesse Minter's team a demanding but balanced 2026 schedule featuring matchups against the NFC South, AFC South, and second-place finishers from several divisions.

>Baltimore also has nine road games this season, making the international contest easier to accommodate within the broader schedule structure.

>The matchup itself carries substantial intrigue beyond the international setting.

>Jackson remains one of the league's biggest attractions entering his ninth NFL season and continues adapting to a new offense under coordinator Declan Doyle. Dallas, meanwhile, remains one of the NFL's most visible organizations globally under owner Jerry Jones.

>The game will also showcase star talent across both rosters, including Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Zay Flowers, Derrick Henry, and several prominent defensive players. For Jackson, the opportunity represents another unique experience in a career already filled with national showcases and playoff appearances.

>Based on his reaction on Wednesday, the Ravens quarterback appears more than ready for the moment.

>This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Lamar Jackson reacts to Ravens-Cowboys game in Brazil