SoFi Stadium is one of the best new venues in the NFL, and it should be after coming with a price tag of $5.5 billion. There’s one aspect of the Rams’ home stadium that Cooper Kupp hates, though: the turf.
It’s not just SoFi Stadium’s surface that Kupp loathes. It’s artificial turf in general.
He’s made this opinion known several times in the past, and he was asked about it again this week with the Rams playing back-to-back games on turf in a span of five days.
“As you know, I hate it. I’m not a fan of turf in general and it’s obviously tough going back-to-back on a short week,” Kupp said. “But it is what it is. I know people are certainly aware of it. If there’s going to be change that’s going to come, it’s not because people don’t know, you know? So it is what it’s. Like I said, it’s the same thing about playing Thursday night. Everyone’s got to do it. Everyone’s got to get it done on turf and just part of this game and you got to deal with it.”
Kupp isn’t the only player in the NFL who much prefers to play on natural grass instead of artificial turf, citing the greater toll turf takes on players’ bodies compared to grass. And the numbers are there to back it up, with turf causing more foot and ankle injuries than natural grass.
The Saints are dealing with the same thing this week, having just played on their own turf in the last three games. In fact, they haven’t played on natural grass since Week 5, so they’re used to playing on turf.