Prior to a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11, the Denver Broncos gave the grass at Empower Field at Mile High a makeover.
The team’s stadium crew got the field replaced within 36 hours after playing the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 27, giving it three weeks to settle in before the Falcons game on Nov. 17.
The grass comes from Platteville, Colorado, which is approximately 45 minutes north of Boulder, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
For the third consecutive year, the Broncos have proactively installed a brand new field in-season at Empower Field at Mile High in the interest of player safety.
The team brought in 14 truckloads of Kentucky Bluegrass from a turf farm in Platteville, Colo., and completed the… pic.twitter.com/skkvSByRFX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 13, 2024
Chris Hathaway, the Broncos director of turf and ground at Empower Field at Mile High, wrote on Twitter/X that the main reason for the replacement is player safety.
The main reason, player safety. Starting back at 100% to finish up the season is key. It helps us get through a tough time of the year to grow bluegrass. Also my local sod farm freezes here soon. You wait to long your going out of state for replacement sod.
— Chris Hathaway (@ChrisH5280) November 13, 2024
The Walton-Penner ownership group famously trucked in a grass field before the 2022 season finale and replaced it again mid-season in 2023.
“[They] just told me,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said after practice Wednesday when asked about the grass being replaced. “You would have to ask Greg [Penner]. Meaning, our field has been in good shape. I don’t know what’s taken place since the last one. The one thing I do know is if Greg feels like it’s not to his liking, then he’s not afraid to do it. I literally just found out and [it’s] outstanding.”
The Broncos are one of 15 teams at 30 stadiums across the NFL to use a natural grass playing surface. After hosting Atlanta on Sunday, Denver will have three more home games remaining on their 2024 schedule.
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