Here’s a mild surprise: Playing against noted cold weather, open air veterans from Green Bay, Dan Quinn is hoping to have the roof open at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sunday when the Falcons welcome the Packers. The roof was originally expected to remain closed for the first home game on the Falcons’ 2017 schedule.
Quinn’s rationale for that is pretty simple: He likes to play outdoors in nice weather, which seems reasonable enough to me. As ESPN’s Vaughn McClure notes, though, this would be a much bigger deal than Quinn’s casual comments make it sound like.
"I prefer a roof opened," Quinn told ESPN. "You know those days where you say, 'Man, this is a day for some football?' If it's the idealistic setting or it's ideal football weather where you feel the crispness, I prefer that roof to be open. If it's lightning and it's raining, I'd say, 'You know what? Let's go inside."
It’s been 25 years since the Falcons played an open-air game in Atlanta, during their days at Fulton County Stadium. That last outdoor game was a 26-13 win by Jerry Glanville's Falcons over Chuck Knox's Seattle Seahawks.
Falcons' Dan Quinn prefers stadium roof open, if weather permits https://t.co/Pqzt1Gv0wl
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) September 11, 2017
The first outdoor game in a quarter century in Atlanta, with an NFC contender coming to town, and a chance to run the record to 2-0 after the 2016 Super Bowl? I’m gonna go ahead and endorse this course of action for the Falcons, thanks.