Tag: Turf

Broncos facility updates: New indoor turf + fans at training camp

The Broncos are replacing the turf at their indoor facility, and fans are expected at training camp this year despite facility construction.

The Denver Broncos announced two notable training facility updates during the NFL’s annual meetings in Orlando earlier this week.

The first update was an announcement from team owner/CEO Greg Penner that the team will replace the turf at their indoor Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse. The existing turf still had roughly 10 years left in its estimated lifespan, but the Broncos have decided to replace it with a “state-of-the-art” upgrade.

Better indoor turf could, in theory, reduce injuries for Denver, but changing the turf does not directly impact the fans. The second bit of news does.

The Broncos will soon begin construction on a new facility at their current Dove Valley location, and it remains to be seen how many fans will be able to attend training camp while the new facility is being built.

Denver coach Sean Payton said Monday that the team has not discussed the possibility of holding training camp practices at a different location during construction. The Broncos have not yet decided if construction will begin before or after training camp this summer.

Plans are still being finalized, but the team is currently planning to have fans at training camp despite the construction. Denver had a capacity limit of 3,000 fans at practices last summer, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the limit is even lower during construction.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert, S Jevon Holland call out MetLife Stadium turf after Jaelan Phillips’ injury

Dolphins call out Jets’ playing surface after the win.

In recent years, the turf vs. grass debate has been raging across the NFL with many players believing that the artificial playing surface leads to more injuries.

On Friday, the Miami Dolphins took on the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, a venue that sports a turf field. During the contest, Miami lost linebacker Jaelan Phillips to a non-contact Achilles injury that could cost him the rest of the season and some of next year depending on the severity.

Following the battle, safety Jevon Holland was the first to call out the turf.

However, the safety wasn’t the only one to do so, as running back Raheem Mostert did the same.

With more and more star players going down, the league will eventually have to look into this issue more.

Until then, the Dolphins will just hope for the best news for Phillips.

Bills players rip ‘terrible’ turf after injury-filled game vs. Jaguars

The Jaguars’ Walker Little and Zay Jones were among the players injured Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars saw several players go down with injuries during their Week 5 game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Jaguars offensive lineman Walker Little and wide receiver Zay Jones were among those players, as both had MRIs on Monday to assess the severity of knee injures suffered Sunday.

According to some Bills players, many of those injuries were a consequence of the playing surface in London. Buffalo cornerback Taron Johnson, who was injured in the third quarter but eventually returned to the game, called the turf “terrible” when asked about the field by The Athletic’s Tim Graham.

“Take that turf out, especially that one,” Johnson told Graham. “I’d rather play on grass. I’m sure 90 to 100 percent of players in the NFL would rather play on grass. I don’t know why we’re playing on stuff like that.

“There were injuries on the field today, some really, really bad. I just feel like the turf has something to do with it.”

Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins, who was also injured Sunday but returned to the game, only described the turf as “weird.”

The most significant loss for the Bills was linebacker Matt Milano, who was injured on the same play as Little. While Buffalo hasn’t provided an official prognosis for Milano, he reportedly suffered a fractured leg along with knee damage that could be season ending.

Earlier this week, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said the grass in London games hasn’t been much better. He described it as “a little bit slicker” and told reporters that it’s “probably turf I prefer” when playing in the United Kingdom.

Jacksonville hasn’t yet revealed the severity of the injuries suffered by Little and Jones.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Trevor Lawrence: ‘I prefer grass in the states,’ turf in London

Trevor Lawrence usually doesn’t like turf, but it’s better than the slick grass of the fields in London.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence typically prefers grass fields to artificial turf. But when his team meets the Buffalo Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he isn’t worried at all about the London stadium’s turf surface. In fact, he’s a little glad it’s not grass.

“I usually prefer playing on grass, but the grass over here is a little bit different,” Lawrence told reporters Wednesday. “Especially for the soccer field, it’s a little bit slicker. I don’t know if that’s intentionally just for the ball, I’m sure, rolls better on it. Our grass is different in the states.

“I prefer grass in the states. I think here, turf is a little better for footing and cutting and all that stuff. Probably turf I prefer, so the guys don’t slip as much. Either way, I don’t think it poses a big issue.”

At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Premier League matches are played on a natural grass surface. But when the venue hosts NFL games, the playing field splits and rolls into a garage. The American football games are then played on the turf field underneath.

The NFL Player’s Association has made a push for teams to ditch artificial turf fields which tend to cause more injuries. In the Jaguars’ last two trips to MetLife Stadium to play the New York Jets, they lost running back James Robinson and pass rusher Dawuane Smoot to torn Achilles tendons.

The Jaguars’ EverBank Stadium has used a natural grass surface since it opened in 1995.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patrick Mahomes takes a side in the grass vs. turf debate

#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes made his thoughts on the grass vs. turf debate clear in comments to the media on Wednesday.

An Achilles tear sustained by Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Monday caused a familiar football debate to reemerge.

Rodgers’ injury happened on a turf field, and some quickly speculated that the injury may not have occurred if the game was played on natural grass.

 

But where does Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ opinion lie in the discussion?

“I think it’s pretty simple, the numbers say that grass is healthier for the players,” Mahomes said during Wednesday’s press conference. “I want to play on the best surface that will keep me healthy.”

Mahomes, who plays on a natural grass field at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, makes a solid point. Data exists that backs up the fact that more injuries occur on turf, while others (including NFL execs) say their data suggests otherwise.

However, it’s in the NFL’s best interest to use artificial turf given its cost-effectiveness and ease of maintenance. So, naturally, some would argue their data would obviously vouch for the cheapest option.

Regardless, it’s a hot topic that’ll likely continue to be discussed as the NFL is now split 50/50, with 15 NFL stadiums using turf vs. 15 stadiums using natural grass. If more injuries occur on turf fields, the more likely players are going to speak up.

David Bakhtiari blasts NFL’s artificial turf use after Aaron Rodgers injury: ‘I’m sick of this..Do better!’

One of Aaron Rodgers’ old teammates blasted artificial turf after the new Jets quarterback got injured.

The potentially season-altering injury that New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered on Monday night came with a very frustrating underlying factor for a lot of NFL players and fans.

While it didn’t necessarily look like this was the direct cause of Rodgers’ getting hurt, the moment happened on the brand-new artificial turf field at the Jets’ MetLife Stadium.

As many NFL players have in the past, Rodgers’ old Green Bay Packers teammate David Bakhtiari expressed his extreme displeasure with NFL stadiums using artificial turf fields instead of grass, with the argument being that athletes are less likely to sustain serious injury on grass playing fields.

The ongoing debate about what’s the safest turf for football players to play on might not settle anytime soon, but Bakhtiari’s fiery message to the NFL will grow louder with other players in the league if Rodgers’ injury is indeed serious.

Artificial turf might not be the culprit for Monday night’s big injury, but it might well be the fixture point for where the conversation goes.

Field issues were a major point of discussion after Super Bowl 57, and it doesn’t look like it’ll subside as an NFL hot-button issue anytime soon.

Despite progress, turf fields still potential obstacle for Packers LT David Bakhtiari in 2023

David Bakhtiari and the Packers will play five road games on artificial playing surfaces during the 2023 season.

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

Stating the obvious, a healthy David Bakhtiari would do wonders for the Green Bay Packers offense and first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love this season. Unfortunately, turf fields have been an obstacle for the left tackle’s surgically-repaired knee, and the Packers play five of their nine road games on artificial grass in 2023.

Here are the five games and the type of turf:

Week 2 at Atlanta Falcons: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, FieldTurf CORE
Week 12 at Detroit Lions: Ford Field, FieldTurf CORE
Week 14 at New York Giants: MetLife Stadium, FieldTurf CORE
Week 16 at Carolina Panthers: Bank of America Stadium, FieldTurf
Week 17 at Minnesota Vikings: U.S. Bank Stadium, UBU Speed Series S5-M

Turf fields have been a topic of debate for more than a decade among NFL Players who believe they are less safe than natural grass. Bakhtiari is among those strongly opposed to playing on artificial fields, especially after experiencing some discomfort in his surgically-repaired knee during a game on turf last season. In Week 9 against the Detroit Lions, he missed most of the second half when the slit film turf caused his knee to flare up.

In the same game, Green Bay’s top edge rusher Rashan Gary tore his ACL, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. A week later, Bakhtiari took to Twitter to express his disapproval of NFL teams who still have turf fields.

Currently, 16 teams play on natural grass, while the remaining 14 play on turf.

“We know we play a sport that you’re going to get beat up. We all know what we sign up for,” Bakhtiari said in April on a discussion panel partnered with The Players’ Tribune and Pennington Lawn. “Being in the trenches, we’re in contact every play. Why add that extra bit of playing surfaces that are gonna further the injury rate or add to the injuries that are already going to come?”

Bakhtiari’s beef with turf clearly hits on a personal level, but he’s far from the only one who has been outspoken about it. In November of last season, NFLPA president JC Tretter penned a letter and cited data to suggest the injury rate was lower on natural grass, writing, “Injuries on slit film are completely avoidable.”

Slit film turf is still used on four playing surfaces in the NFL, with one being a division rival in the Vikings. It’s worth noting Bakhtiari did not suit up for the season opener last year in Minnesota.

When Tretter brought up artificial playing surfaces again in April (via ESPN), the NFL’s executive vice president of communications, public affairs, and safety, Jeff Miller, said in a statement that “there are no simple answers” and “some artificial turf surfaces have a lower injury rate than some grass fields — and some grass fields have a lower injury rate than some artificial surfaces.”

Fortunately, some teams have taken it upon themselves to make their playing surfaces safer. Since the end of last season, the Lions have done away with the slit film turf that affected Bakhtiari’s knee. Another one of Green Bay’s 2023 opponents, the Giants, also got rid of their slit film turf in favor of a new synthetic turf that they believe will decrease the number of injuries.

It’s a start, but turf fields could still present an enormous challenge for Bakhtiari. Coming off a season in which he missed six games, his knee remains a question mark, though he did sound optimistic during OTAs.

“I really like how I’m feeling,” he said while pointing out that this was his first surgery-free offseason in two years.

A healthy Bakhtiari would provide the Packers’ offensive line with a level of stability that was lacking in 2022. Injuries hit that unit hard last season, but Bakhtiari did show signs of his former All-Pro self by not allowing a single sack, according to Pro Football Focus.

In preparation for a grueling 17-game season, Green Bay hopes that more rest days will help preserve their premier left tackle. It may also be worth it to rotate snaps on turf surfaces like they did when the team traveled to London.

How the Packers approach Bakhtiari’s situation could directly impact their success in 2023. Even at 31 years of age, he can still play at a high level, but they need him to be on the field as much as possible. Ultimately, that may come down to how his knee holds up on turf.

Von Miller stars in commercial calling for NFL to switch from turf to grass

In a new commercial for Pennington Grass Seed, Von Miller calls for the NFL to switch from artificial turf to natural grass fields.

The NFL Players Association has been lobbying for the league to abandon artificial turf in favor of natural grass, a move that the NFLPA says would help make football safer by reducing the number of injuries that happen on turf.

One of football’s biggest stars, Buffalo Bills pass rusher Von Miller, has joined the NFLPA’s campaign by teaming up with Pennington Grass Seed for a commercial promoting natural grass playing surfaces for football (the Bills are among 16 NFL teams who play on turf).

In an ad that Pennington says was rejected by a network for the NFL draft, Miller says until turf is off the field, “draft day will always be painful.”

Here is the minute-long ad from Pennington Grass Seed’s YouTube channel:

“The game will take a toll on your — twisted ankles, torn ACLs — your body pushed to the brink,” Miller says in the commercial. “We all knew the risk when we signed up, but why do injuries have to come direct from the field?”

Miller spent the first 10 and a half years of his career with the Denver Broncos. While playing for the Broncos in 2013, Miller tore his ACL in a road game against the Houston Texans, who play on turf.

Miller now plays for the Bills and he suffered another torn ACL last season during a road game against the Detroit Lions, who also play on turf.

The Broncos play their home games at Empower Field at Mile High on natural grass. Last fall, the team’s ownership group paid $400,000 to have the field replaced for the final home game of the season in an effort to give players a safe playing surface.

Clearly, Denver’s ownership group believes natural grass is a worthwhile investment, but half of the league still plays on synthetic turf, which is cheaper to maintain. For safety reasons, players want all 32 teams playing on natural grass, and Miller is now an official spokesperson for the cause.

“It’s time to put the players first,” Miller says in the ad. “Get turf off the fields and bring back grass.”

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Social Media Reacts: Oklahoma State produced playing surface roasted during the Super Bowl

Slips and falls during the Super Bowl had social media roasting the turf created by Oklahoma State University.

As big as the game itself. The experimental turf grass that was created by Oklahoma State University became the talk of social media throughout Super Bowl LVII.

As players struggled with footing in all three phases, and even in the act of celebrating a touchdown, social media called into question the playing surface.

In theory, it may not have been a bad idea to specially design a surface that could withstand the many events that would take place on Sunday night. But the result created a surface that was slippery, wet, and, as Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata described, was like playing “on a water park.”

Hassan Reddick said, “I’m not going to lie: It was the worst field I’ve ever played on… It was very disappointing. It’s the NFL. You would think it would be better so we could get some better play, but it is what it is. I don’t know. Maybe the league will look at it and tell Arizona they got to step their stuff up.”

Everyone on the field had to play on the same turf, and some dealt with it better than others. However, when the NFL puts the time, energy, and finances it did into a playing surface, it doesn’t want that surface to become the talk of the game.

It wants the focus on the field. While there was a great game being played, the surface became a side story that got the NFL and Oklahoma State roasted. Here are some of the best reactions on Twitter to the poor playing surface.

Packers players weigh in on safety of slit turf, call for all grass fields

Aaron Rodgers, David Bakhtiari and Mason Crosby have argued for all grass fields in the NFL.

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.

Packers’ kicker Mason Crosby also weighed in.

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.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbxb1xg7g19wqdc player_id=none image=https://packerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]