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Turf has been a very hot topic of discussion in the NFL in recent years, and now, the NFLPA has released the result of a poll that shows overwhelming support for the push to get rid of artificial surfaces.
In the 1960s, the MLB became the first league to adopt the material dubbed “Astroturf,” and in 1969, the Eagles became the first NFL team to embrace that technology when they installed it at Franklin Field (the Houston Oilers had beaten them to the punch by sharing a stadium with the Astros, but they were technically still a member of the AFL at the time).
Teams took a liking to fake turf due to the comparatively low maintenance that it required, and even though it did allow players to run faster thanks to increased traction, it also had a propensity to cause some particularly brutal injuries due to its unforgiving nature.
As things currently stand, exactly 50% of NFL stadiums boast some form of artificial turf (some of the ones in that group have opted for a hybrid approach that incorporates real grass). It’s certainly come a long way, but the NFLPA has been pushing for its abolition due to studies that suggest its responsible for a higher rate of injures.
MetLife Stadium has become the lightning rod for that particular issue thanks to its notoriously terrible turf, but according to ESPN, the vast majority of players want every stadium that’s eschewed sod to reconsider based on the results of an NFLPA poll that shows 92% of guys in the union prefer natural grass.
NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell noted that seven NFL stadiums will be making the switch in order to host World Cup games in 2026, and while he acknowledged soccer and football are governed by a slightly different set of standards when it comes to turf, he positioned that swap as a potential tipping point for a permanent change.
Franchises seem to be dragging their heels when it comes to a pivot that wouldn’t exactly be cheap, but it does seem like the tides are turning.