by Cameron Moore (8th)
I have a serious question.
So, I was just watching football this Sunday when I heard about an injury to one of the best young players in the sport. When I watched the replay over, I knew one of the factors that may have contributed to this injury.
Last Monday, Malik Nabers, a young and very good wide receiver for the New York Giants, went through an MRI and was officially diagnosed with a torn ACL, ending his season.
While this non-contact ACL tear may not be completely the fault of the turf, it is worth considering the impact of turf in a league that cares so much about injuries and protecting their players.
Why do so many teams play on artificial turf?
First of all, let’s look at the positives of playing on a turf surface. One of the main advantages of artificial turf is the maintenance, or lack thereof. Unlike grass, which often forms divots and does not fare well in the rain, turf is able to withstand those conditions. This is one of the reasons many high schools, including our own, use artificial turf at their main stadium. While initial costs are high, it is much cheaper to maintain.
Another reason many high schools use artificial turf is its durability, which allows it to be used very frequently. Just think about our own field. Football, lacrosse, soccer, marching band, field hockey, and lots of other events are hosted at the stadium.
But, these advantages are not as apparent at a professional level. Teams and their stadiums have the money to maintain grass fields. For many stadiums, other than concerts, football stadiums really only host football, and sometimes soccer. Many stadiums have tarps that help grass stay in peak condition. The advantages that lower levels get from turf aren’t as obvious at the professional level.
Turf, of course, has its negatives. That’s what the whole entire article is about.
Unlike the positives, the negatives of turf are as obvious in the pros as they are in the lower levels, if not more. The NFL has become very serious about injuries. One of the biggest movements in football as of late has been the commitment to improving the safety of helmets and decreasing head injuries. But, it becomes puzzling when diving into lower extremity (lower body) injuries, which are also very common. One of the biggest threats to these injuries isn’t the equipment, the rules, or other players. It’s the playing surface itself.
According to a study by the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) that studied injury data from 2012-2018, there was very obvious evidence of increased injury risk on turf. According to the NFLPA, “artificial turf is significantly harder on the body than grass.” The study showed that players have a 28% higher risk of non-contact lower body injuries. Breaking it down further, players are 32% more likely to suffer non-contact knee injuries on turf, and are an insane 69% more likely to suffer non-contact foot/ankle injuries on turf.
This data has caused the NFLPA to release a statement: “NFL clubs should proactively change all field surfaces to natural grass.” It is clear that turf increases injury risk, particularly non-contact lower extremity injuries, which are often severe.
Malik Nabers is one of many players to fall victim to turf fields, MetLife’s field in particular, which is infamously bad. Just a couple years ago, Aaron Rodgers tore his ACL at MetLife in his first ever game as a New York Jet. But, there may be a solution for many stadiums looming.
Whether you like them or not, FIFA, the primary body of soccer, has a mandate that is definitely a positive one: they force all international soccer matches to be played on grass fields only. However, due to the 2026 World Cup being held in the US, Canada, and Mexico, all turf stadiums (including MetLife stadium, which is hosting the final) are being forced to lay down grass for the World Cup.
With owners already being forced to implement grass during the tournament, there’s a shot some grass fields might stay. Is this chance very high?
In my opinion, unfortunately, no. The owners will certainly be looking to continue maximizing profits, which means cutting the grass fields following the tournament. It truly is such a shame that these billionaires that own teams in one of the most prestigious leagues in the world would want to maximize profits over keeping their own players safe.
Before I go, I just want to talk about a new field system: roll-out grass fields. The Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders play in stadiums with a fixed or retractable roof, so they constructed their grass fields on giant trays that roll outside to get rain and sunlight, which they roll back in for games. It’s a great way to get players on grass, even in a roofed facility.
So, there you have it. The ultimate breakdown of turf fields and their weaknesses compared to grass.
Speaking of, if you don’t mind me, I’m getting off the computer and I’m gonna go touch grass. At least it won’t tear my ACL.
https://nflpa.com/posts/only-natural-grass-can-level-the-nfls-playing-field