This is yet another reason why the Chicago Bears need to move out of Soldier Field.
Bears kicker Cairo Santos is used to kicking in the NFL’s worst conditions, but he was hoping for at least a few good weeks at Soldier Field before the grass got terrible.
This past weekend’s Elton John concert at Soldier Field left the grass looking noticeably dead and riddled with holes. Bears kicker Cairo Santos detailed the “sandy” field and holes that led to a challenging day of training camp for the veteran. It’s something he’s learned to “deal with” during his tenure with the Bears.
“I learned last year,” Santos said. “There were spots yesterday that we noticed and we talked about with Trent[on] [Gill] because he’s new. Look, if we have a field goal right here, we have to move it maybe off the hash. Or maybe on the field more, inside the hash more, just to get away from this hole.”
Santos has gotten so used to the bad grass that he purposely finds poorly maintained parks just so he could simulate how bad the grass is where he has to kick.
“Especially Week 1, our first game of the season — I’ve seen better,” Santos said, somehow sounding surprised yet not surprised whatsoever at the same time. “It’s just what we have to deal with. The less of a problem you make it in your mind, it helps you overcome it and just go.”
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Santos set the franchise record by hitting 93.8% of his field goals in 2020 and made 86.7% last season. Amazing what he could do if the field was actually good.
