Dallas Cowboys hit by airport chaos en route to Bears game

The Dallas Cowboys were delayed en route to Chicago for Sunday’s Week 3 matchup with the Chicago Bears after travel plans were upended by mass airport chaos in Dallas. The team had been scheduled to depart Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport at 3:30 p.m. ET, but equipment problems and a wave of flight cancellations left players and staff waiting as hundreds of flights were grounded or delayed.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was slowing flights at Dallas Fort Worth because of a reported local telephone company equipment issue, a problem the FAA said did not involve its own equipment at Dallas Love Field. The disruptions affected both major Dallas airports, with FlightAware data showing roughly 700 delays and about 200 cancellations at DFW, and about 160 delays with one cancellation at Love Field as the afternoon waned. The issue, which also affected other flights in the region, prompted officials to warn that delays could persist into Friday night.

Despite the mounting delays, the Cowboys eventually boarded their flight around 4:40 p.m. ET, roughly an hour after the original depart time. The late departure threatened to ripple through the team’s preparation for Sunday’s game, potentially pushing back the Cowboys’ pre-game night routine and study time ahead of their 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff at Soldier Field.

Dallas is set to visit the winless Bears in Week 3, with the goal of improving to 2-1 in the series against Chicago after a 1-1 start to the season. The travel hiccup adds a sour note to a week that will also be defined by on-field performance and preparation rather than a typical, uninterrupted buildup.