The COVID-19 pandemic has severely limited the number of fans that are able to watch NFL games in person this season, with some teams allowing a limited number of fans and some deciding not to allow any fans inside their stadiums for the entire season. The Dallas Cowboys, however, have set an unlikely record during the pandemic in their 24-19 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and team owner Jerry Jones took note and was proud of it. 

Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports that in an appearance on the 105.3 The Fan radio show, Jones boasted about the Cowboys’ attendance of 31,700 at the AT&T Stadium on Sunday against the Steelers, which set a record for the most number of fans during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We lead the country. I'm not sure we don't lead the world — that's a big statement; let's not go that far because I don't know — in attendance for our ballgames. We're leading everyone”

The 78-year-old businessman credited the AT&T Stadium’s air circulation as a reason why they were able to accommodate a large number of fans, as the arena’s roof and large doors behind the end zones have been kept open. 

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“We have air circulation in that facility that's three or four times the standards of operating rooms.”

The stadium, which can sit around 80,000 people for a football game, was nearly at 40 percent capacity when Dallas faced Pittsburgh in Week 9. However, it remains unclear how many of those fans were Cowboys fans and Steelers fans. In an interview with David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger noted the unusually high number of fans, and said that it reflects not only the Cowboys’ popularity, but also the Steelers’.

“If you didn’t know who America’s team was, you should’ve seen the stands and all the Terrible Towels. Dallas may be America’s Team, but we’re the World’s Team because we’ve got fans everywhere and they’re the best in the world.”

With the Cowboys on a bye week, it seems that other NFL teams aren’t too eager to break the Cowboys' attendance record, with some teams still not allowing fans inside their home stadiums in their Week 10 games, with the Cleveland Browns allowing around 12,500 fans at the FirstEnergy Stadium when they face the Houston Texans and the Miami Dolphins letting in 20 percent of the Hard Rock Stadium’s capacity of 64,767 when they face the Los Angeles Chargers.