Denver Broncos kicker Brandon McManus has joined a growing group of NFL players who turned to Twitter in recent days to call for the league to abandon turf fields in favor of natural grass surfaces.
The Broncos play on grass at Empower Field at Mile High, but they will play on multiple turf fields in road games this season.
McManus pointed out on Twitter on Saturday that NFL stadiums with turf will convert to grass fields for the World Cup in 2026.
“When the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes to the US, our NFL stadiums with turf will convert to grass. Why? Because grass is a much safer playing surface,” the kicker tweeted. “But for us, their own players, they want us to compete on inferior surfaces.”
NFLPA president JC Tretter wrote an article over the weekend calling for the league to immediately replace and ban all slit film turf surfaces, and dozens of players joined McManus in tweeted about #SaferFields.
International teams come to play in our stadiums and we change the fields for them. We play internationally on fields not designed for football, guys slipping everywhere and getting hurt. Priorities seem off. #SaferFields
— Tyler Ott (@Ottomatic82) November 13, 2022
I believe that we — and all teams — should be playing on grass.
This is an age-old issue, and I believe the time to address the problem is now!
Let's have the conversation.#saferfields
— Cooper Kupp (@CooperKupp) November 12, 2022
Nfl says they care about player safety yet they can’t put us on a natural surface #saferfields
— Nick Bosa (@nbsmallerbear) November 12, 2022
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
No one knows the beating our bodies take when playing on turf fields more than us. How many more injuries before the league opens their eyes? #SaferFields
— Shaq Thompson (@ShaqThompson_7) November 13, 2022
I’ve seen too many of my brothers across the league go down because of these unsafe fields. Owners need to put player safety over profit. #SaferFields
— Chase Edmonds (@ChaseEdmonds22) November 12, 2022
Having bad field surfaces across the NFL only hurts our players and our game. The NFL and the clubs should be doing everything possible to stop us from losing more players to injury. #SaferFields
— Michael Thomas (@Michael31Thomas) November 12, 2022
Billions made off the game and yet we can’t get safe playing surfaces to do our jobs. Enough is enough. #SaferFields
— LANDON COLLINS (@TheHumble_21) November 12, 2022
Plain and simple, the NFL doesn't care about the health and safety of players. If they did, they would make sure that we have the best field conditions when are making BILLIONS for them. #SaferFields https://t.co/rqiwORQnQY
— Allen Lazard 👑 (@AllenLazard) November 12, 2022
The data is clear and the NFL agrees: Slit film synthetic surface is bad for players, and there is a higher injury rate than on grass or any other synthetic surface. #SaferFields
— Gabe Davis (@gabedavis13_) November 12, 2022
You can tell by the influx of tweets coming from players that this is something that needs to be addressed. Watching soccer matches as much as I do and seeing them play on grass..we need that in the NFL ASAP #SaferFields
— CJ Uzomah (@cj_uzomah) November 12, 2022
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
— Randall Cobb (@rcobb18) November 12, 2022
Field conditions impact everyone, from players to fans to coaches and GMs. No one wants to see players sidelined by injury because owners choose to save money over a bad field. #SaferFields @NFLPA @nfl
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) November 12, 2022
We know the data – our union and the league agree that we should eliminate slit film turf. The NFL isn’t willing to mandate this change, so we as players are going to keep talking about this issue until it changes. #SaferFields
— Dalton Schultz (@BinghamBaller9) November 12, 2022
Why are we still playing on plastic if grass is better for our bodies and our environment??? #SaferFields
— Justin M. Jones (@Twenty7Savage) November 12, 2022
It’s not right that me and my teammates are the ones who have to accept a higher risk of injury because teams are too cheap to replace their bad fields. #SaferFields
— Jaylon Smith (@thejaylonsmith) November 12, 2022
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
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
— Calais Campbell (@CalaisCampbell) November 12, 2022
We have to fight for the future of football to be safer for all players. We know beyond any suspicion that slit film turf is a risk to the health and wellness of our league. It’s time we move to #SaferFields
— Johnny Hekker (@JHekker) November 12, 2022
Ask any player and they will tell you they prefer to play on grass. Even coaches will tell you it’s easier to stand on sideline if it’s a grass field. We know the data, the bare minimum the NFL should do is remove slit film turf, the evidence is there. #saferfields
— Alex Mack (@alexmack51) November 12, 2022
The NFL needs to raise the standard of field conditions in order to keep players healthy #saferfields https://t.co/CCol50CYqz
— Thomas Hennessy (@THenny43) November 13, 2022
The NFL has heard the players’ complaints and their official stance has been to deny that grass is better for players than turf.
“There [is] no difference between the number of injuries on synthetic surfaces versus grass,” NFL executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy Jeff Miller said in a statement Saturday.
The players clearly disagree, and they will likely continue campaigning for natural grass until the league takes action.
