Because when youre young and in high school and college, you think its fast and fun and it looks good. They concluded that the field met all applicable standards and protocols for NFL surfaces. The Hellas Matrix Turf used in Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles is widely considered the best. I do know that after having surgery, and when I go out there and play on turf fields, its different, Cincinnati Bengals nose tackle D.J. 2018 Herald International Research Journals. It doesnt feel good.. Also, all artificial turf is not the same. FIFA World Cup - Best Goals from Every Angle, Draw for the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, Joey Logano wants another NASCAR Cup Series title: "It's all about the trophy", World Cup's 101 Most Memorable Moments: Germany upsets Hungary, Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more, Fox Sports and 2022 Fox Media LLC and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. Their joint Surfaces Committee uses the data to compare injuries in each of the 30 stadiums the league plays in, paying particular attention to injuries that occur without contact and could potentially be attributed to the surface itself. Theres a growing drumbeat. Even though the grass was specifically bred for indoor use, the dome's semi-transparent Lucite ceiling panels, which had been painted white to cut down on glare that bothered the players, did And you could feel it. NFL teams all carry payrolls of about $200 million. Sure, it costs more in the long run, but technology advancements have made grass fields more tolerant to every condition seen in the NFL: heat, cold, humidity and dryness. "It comes down to the guys on the field making the right plays," Allen said Sunday after the game. I feel like the league, the NFL, the organization should want to protect its players. Rookie running back Brian Robinson seemed unbothered by being unnecessarily included in the statement when he met with the media last week. Essentially, it is much cheaper to install a synthetic field once every two to three years than maintaining and replacing natural grass while keeping the same volume of events. Most importantly, injuries are continuing to play their role in game outcomes. Could Garoppolo see players making free-agent decisions based on grass vs. artificial surfaces? And if you actually do care, take the actionable steps to fix the problems our union has identified, especially those issues you actually agree with.. Players Association President JC Tretter called on six venues to immediately change their playing surfaces last weekend, saying the artificial turf in those stadiums results in higher injury rates when comparing non-contact injuries and lower extremity injuries like sprained ankles and torn knee ligaments. Lets get the safest atmosphere for us to go play in., Added Detroit receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown: I do prefer playing on grass. You have a team in a major market like Philly. Eagles GM Howie Roseman absolutely crushed the offseason by getting James Bradberry and C.J. I wonder what that is all about? On Saturday, the NFL Players Association went on the offensive. It feels better on my joints, my ankles and whatnot., Jacksonville Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins called artificial turf the equivalent of playing in a parking lot, saying Im getting slammed on the concrete. There most definitely is a difference in the two fields. Youre way less sore the next day, thats for sure. I dont know how much that would cost. The rate of injuries that was nearly identical was actually 2.5% lower on natural grass last year, 15% lower in 2021, 25% lower in 2020, and 15% lower on natural grass in 2019. Cooper Kupp, George Kittle and De'Vondre Campbell are among those who recently have expressed a desire to play every game on a natural playing surface after seeing season-ending injuries to teammates on artificial playing surfaces. "We were horrendous in the red zone and that's again on my shoulders. So the takeaway is that it doesnt increase the frequency according to their study. Altogether, a 7% increase in lower extremity injury rates was found during NFL games on turf when compared to grass dating back to 2016. A trainer checks on New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson after he suffered a knee injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray). Last week, NFL Players WebNews about Chicago Bears, Cubs, Bulls, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fire from the Chicago Tribune, including latest injury reports, roster moves, trades, scores and analysis, photos and highlights. All Rights Reserved. You look at Premier League soccer in Europe, they all play on grass. Happened to me soon after they installed the new turf. All those 49ers injuries prompted a review involving representatives from the NFL, NFLPA, MetLife Stadium, the Jets, the Giants, the turf maker and an independent field inspector. I'm not sourcing anything here, to be clear. Fourteen of the NFL's 30 venues still use a version of synthetic turf. I think were blessed here to play on grass. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was limited in practice on Friday and is listed as questionable to play against the host Tennessee Titans on Sunday.. Sure, it costs more in the long run, but technology advancements have made grass fields more tolerant to every condition seen in the NFL: heat, cold, humidity and dryness. section: | slug: nfl-insider-notes-heat-turned-up-on-turf-vs-grass-debate-dissecting-josh-allens-woes-and-more-from-week-10 | sport: football | route: article_single.us | @SportsDocMatt and thepredictors.com have that answer. Previously, he was a columnist with the Mercury News for 17 years, and before that he covered various beats for the Los Angeles Times and the Philadelphia Daily News. Bosas not alone speaking out against artificial turf. Ive listened to all the studies, density studies, Ive seen all the different compounds theyve put in there. Thats my opinion on it., 'It causes injuries': After Panthers QB hurt, players are clear grass over turf. When soccer teams that come in here and put in grass, I think we should be able to do the same thing. The surface does not matter. Exactly half of the 32 teams play on grass and half on turf. Tretter also wrote that until a safer field is developed and used, NFL teams that use artificial turf should change to grass. NFL players have been vocal in their support of grass playing fields and their opposition to artificial turf. WebStay on top of the news all day with the Tribunes web notifications. With a new week upon us, some players will return to the field, while new injuries (especially to high-value players) will impact teams' wins and losses. There is a type of turf that has proven to be better. You must be logged in to leave a comment. But there are different types of turf, and slit film is the one the NFLPA is taking aim at. As players, we have a simple message for the league: stop with the lip service, stop with the media spin, stop pretending you care, he said. The great players always eventually have a choice about where they play or if they want to stay, and Bosa, one of the greatest in the league, surely isnt alone in preferring to play for a team that has a grass field. So hes gone from grass to artificial turf back to grass all in a few years. AP Sports Writers Tim Booth, Dave Campbell, Tom Canavan, Kyle Hightower, Larry Lage, Brett Martel, Steve Megargee, Charles Odum, Steve Reed, Andrew Seligman, Dave Skretta, Mitch Stacy, Dennis Waszak Jr. and Tom Withers contributed to this report. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel has tweeted about it. Renowned orthopedist Dr. Matt Provencher and his company, ThePredictors.com, deliver data-driven injury insights to football fans. They dont have a bad field in this league, but there are better fields, New York Giants safety Julian Love said. 2004-2022 CBS Interactive. Thats resulted in countless injuries and tons of players calling out the league for not making it mandatory to have only grass. By the common man, for the common man. Its fiscal wisdom. I trained on the turf because I knew we were going to turf (in Carolina last season). But it doesnt seem like the owners care as much.. Its just how quickly can we get there.. A potential compromise would be placing thick-cut sod on top of the fake stuff and swapping it out a few times over the course of a football season. The data provided by the league did not distinguish between the three types of turf used: monofilament, dual fiber and slit film. With Week 9 on the horizon, we are officially headed toward the mid-point of the regular season. So far this year at or inside the 20, Allen has thrown 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. Nobody likes to see athletes get injured, and if there is anything that can be done to minimize that risk, it should be a high priority. I get a lot more achy after games.". But the same thing could be said every week in reference to Thursday Night Football. There are two to three more lower-extremity injuries per year per surface on slit film, which means that across MetLife Stadium, Ford Field, Lucas Oil Stadium, Paycor Stadium, Caesars Superdome and U.S. Bank Stadium there are between 12 to 18 lower extremity injuries. How about the toxicity of real grass vs plastic & rubber tires? Tim Kawakami is Editor-in-Chief of The Athletic's Bay Area coverage. Any tweak would be a welcome relief for most players. What is the truth? NFL players have been vocal in their support of grass playing fields and their opposition to artificial turf. They check all the boxes OBJ would seemingly want. Rodgers, Green Bays 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback who has played in every stadium except Las Vegas, thinks theres a way for the league to pivot to grass quickly. I still like grass., You kind of feel the difference when youre running, Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook said. But this is one of those questions where the NFL doesnt really want the real answer. The Panthers already have urged owner David Tepper to switch to grass in the offseason. Titans fire GM: Could other embattled GMs be in danger? Its easier to move out of the way and have a concert. NJ Advance Media and ESPN first reported the planned changes at MetLife Stadium. And I think its just overall better on our bodies. While the NFL admits that lower-extremity injuries are up on slit film surfaces, there's more to it. , To me, Ive always preferred grass. Thomas, coincidentally, now plays for the Jets. Oh, a hundred percent, Bosa said, nodding his head for emphasis. The fact of the matter remains: finding out whether a field surface plays a part in players getting injured is important to health, safety and team investment in their athletes. Aaron Rodgers has hit the ground in every NFL stadium except one. Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these. But the wear and tear, even from a young age, when youre 10 years old. Two indoor venues in Arizona and Las Vegas have grass fields that can be rolled into the sun. Which is understandable. The debate over playing surfaces is resurfacing in the NFL. The NFL hasnt acknowledged a need for new sod. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at And its something not all players really realize. I mean, the pain meds youve gotta take, the recovery after, the swelling, everything is worse, Bosa said. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Your ankles are sprained within the first couple plays of the game. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Its better for the players, its healthier for the players, keeps the good players out there. If they do the studies and guys are getting more injuries on turf, weve gotta switch over. And its easier to maintain; obviously, you throw it down and its there for years. Many players within the NFL have recently criticized some stadiums use of slit film turf, arguing that it leads to more non-contact injuries. Obviously, you see all the different things that happen on turf. Gardner-Johnson, and he continued last month with acquiring Robert Quinn and having the Bears pay the majority of his remaining salary for 2022. Currently, we are on track to see the largest percent difference in turf versus grass-related lower extremity injuries over the past 7 years. Its a lot more pounding. I think itll take a big effort. Chicago Bears BUS: 84.05. It has not been lost on NFL players that the big-time soccer leagues around the world all require grass fields. ESPN obtained a chart that plotted those injuries over the past four seasons. They dont have a bad field in this league, but there are better fields, New York Giants safety Julian Love said. And prior to this season, Allen had thrown just two interceptions in the red zone his entire career in 331 dropbacks. As players, we have a simple message for the league: stop with the lip service, stop with the media spin, stop pretending you care," he said. All those 49ers injuries prompted a review involving representatives from the NFL, NFLPA, MetLife Stadium, the Jets, the Giants, the turf maker and an independent field inspector. Yes, landing on a harder ground with your shoulder might play a part in shoulder instability (we can look at that a different day), but when cleats get stuck in turf, noncontact lower extremity injuries increase in ACLs, while high ankle injuries seem to be a major concern as well. 14 stadiums across the NFL have a turf surface. That number fluctuates year by year, with the highest incidence hovering around 15% this year. Like, when Im a parent, Im going to look for places that have grass. The NFL and Jerry Jones have defended turf fields as safe. The Eagles will always compete for top free agents. A lot of money in this league, he said. We happen to play on the lowest turf in the league, so you want to see those standards go up., Added Cincinnati Bengals nose tackle D.J. Ill point out that there are some questions about the sample size and what it means. So it took a long time to adapt to that. Two indoor venues in Arizona and Las Vegas have grass fields that can be rolled into the sun. It might just produce newer versions of artificial turf. I think maybe when a free agent or something doesnt want to go to a team because they play eight games on turf at home, that might raise some red flags, put ownership on notice. Players from Seattle to Miami, from New England to Los Angeles, have loudly backed Tretter. I dont know what the dollar difference is between what Las Vegas does (and the dome teams that just use artificial surfaces), Bosa said, but your players who could get hurt might not have the same longevity (on artificial turf). The Panthers already have urged owner David Tepper to switch to grass in the offseason. Yeah, that was a 46-yarder, the Ravens kicker recalled Thursday, reciting the facts of his first kick as if the teams 2012 season opener had happened only days ago. I wrote Sunday morning about the likelysleeper team or teams that would be lurkingfor Odell Beckham Jr.'s services. Deebo (@19problemz) February 14, 2022. Incident rate doesnt tell me much other than how many incidents. Its about ethics. Learn how your comment data is processed. This past season the data showed almost no difference between grass versus turf, and I'm told those numbers remained steady during this year's preseason. Theres a reason they play on grass. Well get to all of Bosas other very logical points about getting rid of artificial turf later in this column. That should be in our favor. They are not living up to that standard.". In defending itself in this sort of lawsuit, the NFL will also have to defend the Commanders and Snyder to a degree. "We simply want a safer workplace. In this first-of-a-kind role as Athlete Injury and Performance Analyst for FOX Sports digital platforms, Provencher provides important predictive player health and recovery information about post-injury performance, the impact of weather, field conditions and more. Data compiled for the NFL and NFLPA shows that injury rates on non-contact injuries to lower extremities are statistically the same on artificial turf vs. natural surfaces. That better grip was too much for the tendons and ligaments. Bills' Leslie Frazier deserves 2nd chance to be NFL HC. I dont have a lot of confidence when it comes to the league making that decision without some sort of big vote and gripes from certain owners who dont want to spend the money. Weve got enough money, you know? Hell yeah, said Garoppolo, who suffered a high ankle sprain at MetLife on the same day Bosa tore his ACL. You have permission to edit this article. Sounds like NFL doesnt want to shell out $ for grass so its time for PR to earn their money. Most importantly, a team is going to have to figure out a contract for Beckham. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Players from Seattle to Miami, from New England to Los Angeles, have loudly backed Tretter. But the leagues been doing pretty well., No, honestly, he said. Would stop most of the injuries. Theyre paid to look out for the players. The sport is violent enough. Fourteen of the NFLs 30 venues still use a version of synthetic turf. He stressed to keep the focus on themselves. One source I spoke with made the point that the lawsuit which has Snyder, the Commanders, the NFL and Roger Goodell as defendants realigns the NFL with Snyder, once again making the league defend the Washington owner whether it wants to or not. Ask just about any NFL player past or present and they'll tell you they prefer to play on natural grass. This has to be a public discussion. That makes the data somewhat confounding. No one knows the beating that our bodies take on turf more than us the players, Thomas posted on Twitter. Snyder has seemingly been on an island the last few months. But wouldn't OBJ to the Philadelphia Eagles make a ton of sense? Players Association President JC Tretter called on six venues to immediately change their playing surfaces last weekend, saying the artificial turf in those stadiums results in higher injury rates when comparing non-contact injuries and lower extremity injuries like sprained ankles and torn knee ligaments. It would cost roughly $500,000 for demolition, new rock underlayment and irrigation (drainage could be reused) and another $350,000 for lay-and-play sod. The takeaway from all of this data is that the discussion between synthetic surfaces and natural grass surfaces isnt really the argument, Miller said. Los Angeles Chargers BUS: 58.84. Brown as the established No. Marcus Hayes: Eagles players, including A.J. Players, coaches, owners, its going to take everything to get that moving in the right direction. Fine, but can we see the breakdown of these injuries. Sifting through their data, they looked at injuries and how they relate to ground surface in the NFL, and the answers, though perhaps not surprising to some, are important for overall team health and future injuries. Brown, the Eagles $100 million No. Bosa nodded and said: At least even out.. And while the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field has delivered its share of bumps and bruises, the venues with artificial turf have been even rougher on Rodgers nearly 39-year-old body. Contrastingly, a recent study by a third party contracted by the NFL and NFLPA concluded that injury rates were essentially the same on grass and artificial turf. And similar to the "get in where you fit in" scheme he enjoyed with the Rams last year, the Eagles would offer something similar with A.J. Each franchise is making millions. You see star guys go down all of the time because of it.. The Predictors team looked at lower extremity injuries, which are the injuries that would primarily be affected by a ground surface. Of course, the 49ers have a grass field at Levis Stadium, which York has insisted on even through some iffy times with the turf in the first few years after the stadium opened in 2014. I think well get there eventually. "The players are frustrated," Tretter wrote. But the union is hoping to see some eventual change from the league on this debate that players have long wished for. Kansas City Chiefs BUS: 81.5, Week 8 Most Banged Up Teams1. Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble watched teammate Donte Jackson tear an Achilles tendon at home the latest in a rash of season-ending injuries sustained on turf. 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