Outrage in Pittsburgh: Steelers and Browns players criticize stadium turf.

Steelers and Browns Players Express Discomfort with the Playing Field at Acrisure Stadium

Players from the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns expressed their “outrage” and concern to the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) regarding the playing surface at Acrisure Stadium last weekend, according to sources close to the league.

The NFLPA has conveyed its concern to the NFL and will work to ensure that players are not in that situation in the future.

Source from the NFLPA

The field, which was already scheduled to be replaced after the game, was described by some players as “dry.” Steelers offensive lineman Broderick Jones was among those who reported pulling up pieces of turf during explosive movements. The league spokesman, Brian McCarthy, reported that the NFL has been in contact with both the association and the club, which has taken steps to replace the grass surface.

I thought it was poor on Sunday. I’m not worried about it in the future. I understand that that grass is going to be replaced, but I certainly recognize that it was a concern yesterday.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers Coach

The Steelers kicker, Chris Boswell, slipped on the turf while attempting a field goal in the final quarter, and special teams captain Miles Killebrew suffered a “significant” non-contact knee injury.

Honestly, it was a shitshow. I lost one of my teammates and that makes me sad.

Cameron Heyward, Steelers defensive captain

Heyward, despite preferring natural grass to artificial, which has been the subject of scrutiny in stadiums like MetLife due to injuries, added that Sunday’s field did not meet standards. The league has pointed out that there was no difference in injury rates between synthetic turf and natural grass surfaces last season. There were also fewer anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries on synthetic surfaces than on grass, and there have been no differences so far this year.

I like the grass, but that wasn’t grass to play on.

Cameron Heyward, Steelers defensive captain

An NFLPA source reiterated the preference for grass surfaces, but emphasized the importance of their quality.

Players prefer grass fields, but not all grass surfaces are created equal. The conditions at Acrisure Stadium underscore why players have pushed for high-quality grass fields, and why the NFLPA continues to push for the improvement and shared maintenance of grass fields across the league.

Source: NFLPA

The Steelers share a stadium with the University of Pittsburgh, but neither team had played at Acrisure the week before Sunday’s game. Pitt hosted Boston College on October 4, while the Steelers’ only home game before the game against the Browns was against the Seattle Seahawks on September 14. While the Steelers only had one home game in that period, Pitt hosted four of their first five games at Acrisure. Managing field wear and tear between two teams is nothing new at the stadium, but typically conditions have worsened much later in the season before a reseeding.

Players deserve to have the safest and highest quality workplaces. The NFLPA is advocating for establishing better standards across the league and pushing the NFL for more specific surface data, in order to ensure that our members play on the best possible field surfaces, regardless of whether it is grass or artificial turf.

Source from the NFLPA