Not only did the Green Bay Packers suffer a brutal defeat at the hands of the Detroit Loss two weeks ago, but they also lost their star pass rusher, Rashan Gary, for the rest of the season. Perhaps, the injury could have been avoided if the Lions weren’t one of seven teams playing on “slit turf.” The injury making waves around the NFL also prompted multiple teammates to speak up.
“As much as I’ve enjoyed playing indoors over the years on turf, I do think it’s time to go all grass throughout the league,” Aaron Rodgers said Tuesday. “I think you would see less of these noncontact injuries that we see on some of the surfaces, and I think that it’d be a good step in the right direction towards player safety to make the requirement for every field to be grass.”
Green Bay’s left tackle David Bakhtiari missed most of the second half of the game after experiencing some discomfort in his surgically repaired knee. Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich later confirmed that the turf is what caused Bakhtiairi’s knee to flare up.
This led to a strong reaction from Bakhtiari via Twitter.
By allowing teams to continue using slit film turf, about 10 more players will go down with a completely avoidable, non-contact injury throughout the rest of this season. To know something is unsafe and not change it is unacceptable. #SaferFields
— David Bakhtiari (@DavidBakhtiari) November 12, 2022
It’s crazy. When European soccer clubs come here to play, the stadiums quickly convert from turf to grass. WHY NOT FOR ITS OWN PLAYERS?!? There’s no excuse league wide; EVEN Green Bay can have/grow grass for the season! #SaferFields
— David Bakhtiari (@DavidBakhtiari) November 12, 2022
The fact that the @nfl can’t watch @RashanAGary play because of Detroit’s slit film turf is a shame! You’re taking good football away from the fans!
— David Bakhtiari (@DavidBakhtiari) November 12, 2022
Football is violent enough. Injuries are gonna happen. Turf doesn’t have to be. #SaferFields
— David Bakhtiari (@DavidBakhtiari) November 12, 2022
Packers’ kicker Mason Crosby also weighed in.
When European soccer clubs come here to play, the stadiums quickly convert from turf to grass. But for us – their own players – we have to compete on subpar surfaces. That doesn't make any sense.#SaferFields
— Mason Crosby (@crosbykicks2) November 12, 2022
On Saturday, former Packers center and NFLPA president JC Tretter posted a column, which included a plea to remove all “slit-film” turf fields.
Tretter wrote:
Just like there are different types of grass, there are also different types of turf (Monofilament, Dual fiber, Slit film). The slit film playing surface has statistically higher in-game injury rates compared to all other surfaces for each of the following:
- Non-contact injuries
- Missed time injuries
- Lower extremity injuries
- Foot and ankle injuries
“The injuries on slit film are completely avoidable — both the NFL and NFLPA experts agree on the data — and yet the NFL will not protect players from a subpar surface,” Tretter explained.
However, NFL executive V.P. of communications, public affairs, and safety, Jeff Miller, disputed those claims. According to Miller, slit-film surfaces “have 2-3 more injuries per year, most of them are ankle sprains — a low-burden injury — whereas slit film also sees a lower rate of fewer high-burden ACL injuries compared to other synthetic fields.”
The NFLPA has yet to respond to Miller’s comments. Meanwhile, Rodgers does not expect the league to make any drastic changes that require all teams to play on grass.
“No, honestly, I don’t 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 don’t want to spend the money,” Rodgers said.
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