Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending Achilles tear has sparked a new conversation about NFL player safety. Specifically, it centers around the poor condition of artificial turf fields that some players believe put them at risk of significant injury, like what happened to Rodgers.
In the wake of Rodgers’ injury, the NFLPA has formally called for grass in every pro football stadium. On Wednesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appeared in a one-on-one interview with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take to discuss many of the league’s pertinent issues. That gave Goodell an opportunity to take a decisive stance on a problem that is clearly very important to his players.
Since Goodell is a de facto mouthpiece for owners, he predictably straddled the line and said nothing of substance on the grass field debate.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on NFLPA's call for grass fields: "You have other players who like playing on the turf field, because it's faster. So you've got mixed opinions. What we want to go on is science, we want to go on what's the best from an injury standpoint."
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 13, 2023
Ah yes, Goodell wants to lean toward the mythical “science,” a.k.a. “I do not have a better answer right now, probably won’t in the future, and I won’t say anything strong or definitive about this sensitive subject on national television.” Never mind that I’ve literally never heard a single NFL player profess that they actually prefer playing on turf compared to grass. Goodell’s comment is the equivalent of tweeting “many people are saying.”
Oh yeah, who, Roger? Provide one example.
The next time Goodell displays any kind of meaningful leadership in a pivotal moment for the league will be the first. Someone’s got to take a step forward and change the playing surfaces for the league. You just know it won’t be Goodell who leads the charge until public pressure forces him to cave at the absolute last moment OR the NFL owners allow him to.
This was how Twitter reacted to Goodell's grass surface response
“You have billionaires who don’t want to pay to maintain grass even though it’s safer. So you’ve got mixed opinions.” https://t.co/IjqnMyevlV
— Zach Rapport (@ZachRapport) September 13, 2023
I don't think I've ever heard a player say they prefer playing on turf.
The ONLY possible argument Goodell could have here is that JK Dobbins tore his Achilles on a grass field this week also. https://t.co/DjN5poUH5D
— lindsey ok (@lindseyyok) September 13, 2023
Many* people are saying they like turf.
* – no one https://t.co/F4a5cYweQC
— Tyler Brooke (@TylerDBrooke) September 13, 2023
Jerry Jones' stadium has artificial turf. A commissioner will never disagree with Jerry Jones on this stuff. It's not allowed. https://t.co/vdrbu84Q7b
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) September 13, 2023
Again, where/who are these players? Let's hear from you. https://t.co/axzrSfv7Ja
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 13, 2023
Oh so now you care about science all of a sudden. https://t.co/9ZBCTe0A72
— Pats Pulpit (@patspulpit) September 13, 2023
And Goodell wonders why he is adamantly booed everywhere he goes… https://t.co/37zk02Xyd1
— Christopher Stephano (@cjstephanoAITC) September 13, 2023
Just from a business standpoint, this argument doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. What’s better for your product – players ‘maybe’ being slightly faster, or less of your star players missing games through injury. https://t.co/iIpeZwqypU
— Will Holmes (@WHolmes94) September 13, 2023
The NFLPA says they want grass, but other players I talk to all the time (you wouldn’t know them, they live in Canada) say they prefer turf, so who’s to say. https://t.co/ybe3qZ8EQs
— Matthew Wells (@_mattwells) September 13, 2023
Lots of players love playing on turf field. They're out of frame having a great time on turf. https://t.co/RGCkWRXUun pic.twitter.com/yNYqHyjGv8
— Matt 🐀 (@GeraltOfPhilly) September 13, 2023
Name me one player who thought turf was better and safer than grass. https://t.co/Bfrf2MvKKq
— Noah Clark (@ClarkRigo) September 13, 2023
“Many people are saying” energy https://t.co/r2cxtOKzhn
— Seth Wisner (@SethWisner) September 13, 2023
