EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The black cat that delayed Monday night’s Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants game to the delight of millions as it wandered onto and about the field has evaded officials — for now.
The stadium said on Twitter after the game the cat had retreated under stands after it was chased off the field.
The cat had captured the attention of an entire stadium of cheering and guffawing fans and the cameras for a national Monday Night Football television audience in the second quarter of the Cowboys’ 37-18 win.
For those wondering about the status of our furry friend ? at tonight’s @Giants game?
The black cat ran off the field and disappeared under a seating section. Once we locate and safely capture the cat, we will take it to a veterinarian for examination. #BlackCat | #DALvsNYG
— MetLife Stadium (@MetLifeStadium) November 5, 2019
As superstitious as Jerry Jones is, the Cowboys owner and general manager said he was fearful the cat was a bad omen with his team trailing 9-3. But the Cowboys then outscored the Giants 34-9.
“I haven’t seen one glare at me that far away before,” Jones said. “I know he was looking at me the whole time he was out there. But things did kind of change when that black cat came out.”
The cat was on the far side of the field, away from the action for one play, causing a two-minute delay after it was recognized by the teams and officials. Security and police watched as the cat meandered near the south end zone. They made their way toward the feline, before it eventually ran off the field and behind a facade.
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The cat also caught the notice of some current and former players on social media.
“I was just wondering who was going to catch the thing,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said. “I’m not superstitious, but I wasn’t getting near it. Thankfully, we got that thing out of the stadium and was able to get back to the game.”
Ezekiel Elliott wasn’t going near the cat, either.
“I’m allergic to cats,” said the Cowboys running back, who finished with 139 yards rushing.
The Giants had the ball when the cat appeared.
“I didn’t know exactly what was going on at first,” Giants quarterback Daniel Jones said. “But, yeah, you don’t see that every week.”
The black cat is only part of the strange or memorable things that have gone on between the Cowboys and Giants at MetLife.
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Ezekiel Elliott, Jerry Jones among other Cowboys’ stars react to the black cat interrupting their win against the Giants on Monday Night Football.
In Jason Garrett’s first game as Cowboys interim coach in 2010, the lights went out when a transformer blew in the third quarter, causing a seven-minute delay. In 2014, Odell Beckham Jr. made the ridiculous, one-handed catch for a 43-yard touchdown while falling backward.
Others reacted on Twitter.
If we didn’t have @saquon, we should sign that cat! The cat was elusive! @Giants
— Michael Strahan (@michaelstrahan) November 5, 2019
I’ve been in MetLife and I’m wonder how this Black Cat got in the stadium and did they ever catch em after he ran in the tunnel? Lol We need answers!! ?? #MNF
— Tre Boston (@TreBos10) November 5, 2019
Black cats also aren’t completely unfamiliar to New York teams. A black cat stared down the Chicago Cubs at Shea Stadium on Sept. 9, 1969. The Mets would eventually overtake the first-place Cubs and win the World Series to cap a miracle season, and the cat was credited with putting a hex on the visiting team.
The New York team wasn’t as fortunate this time.
“Things weren’t going good up to that point, so it could only get better from there,” Prescott said. “I thought about that. I guess we’ll start rolling now that the black cat’s bad for the Giants. Who knows? Fun. First time I guess I’ve seen an animal run on the field.”
Information from ESPN’s Jordan Raanan was used in this report.
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