Artificial turf's toll on NFL players can't compare with grass, Deebo Samuel says
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel added his voice to the growing list of NFL players who said the league should switch to using real grass instead of artificial turf in their stadiums, in an interview with Sports Seriously.
Samuel said that stopping on natural grass is easier and lighter on the body compared to artificial turf, which can take a toll on the knees and back. He said if he had it his way, he would always play on grass instead of turf.
"I am a firm believer of grass. In the position I play, I would prefer playing on grass any day," Samuel said.
The spotlight is once again on the need to move away from turf topic following the Achilles tendon injury suffered by New York Jets' quarterback Aaron Rodgers during a Week 1 Monday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills. While it's difficult to determine if the injury was solely caused by the artificial turf, many players have voiced their concerns about the league's playing surfaces.
Watch Deebo Samuel talk about playing on natural grass
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NFLPA called on the league to move to grass fields
Lloyd Howell, the executive director of the National Football League Players Association, issued a statement about the field surfaces in the NFL.
According to Howell's statement, transitioning all stadium fields to high-quality natural grass surfaces is the simplest choice the NFL can make. The players have shown a strong preference for it, and the data indicates that grass is safer than artificial turf.
The turf vs. grass debate is not new.
In 2022, the president of the NFL Players Association, JC Tretter, wrote a column advocating for improved work conditions and the need to enhance the playing fields.
In his column, Tretter noted that the turf surface results in higher in-game injury rates than any other surface, and the players are frustrated and simply want a safer workplace.
"It's unacceptable that football clubs neglect simple injury risks on practice and playing surfaces, making an already dangerous sport even more hazardous," wrote Tretter.
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'Moveable' natural grass fields for stadiums
In 2019, Allegiant Stadium emulated State Farm Stadium by implementing a portable tray system that facilitates the growth of almost an acre of grass. This was done so the Las Vegas Raiders could play on a natural grass field.
According to Forbes, the NFL would need to spend $11.9 million to replace the artificial turf in 14 of its 30 NFL stadiums with natural grass.