NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has offered a response amid the growing concern over artificial turf.
The playing surfaces at NFL stadiums are again the subject of rife discourse following Aaron Rodgers’s Achilles tear on Monday night as the ground at the New York Jets’ MetLife Stadium is being blamed, though head coach Robert Saleh has pushed back against the suggestion.
Goodell was a guest on ESPN’s ‘First Take’ this Wednesday and weighed in on the matter with claims that the league’s decision will not be influenced by feelings.
“You have other players who like playing on the turf field, because it’s faster. So you’ve got mixed opinions,” he said. “What we want to go on is science, we want to go on what’s the best from an injury standpoint.”
While players have suffered some terrible injuries on artificial turf, Goodell is relying on science and not the eye test.
“That’s how we make decisions, not because I see an injury that I don’t like,” he added. “Ultimately, I want our experts to come back and give it to us.”
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
The NFLPA’s executive director, Lloyd Howell, has been one of the loudest proponents of natural grass fields and released a statement prior to Goodell’s appearance in which he noted they’re “worth the investment.”
“Moving all stadium fields to high-quality natural grass surfaces is the easiest decision the NFL can make,” it reads.
“The players overwhelmingly prefer it and the data is clear that grass is simply safer than artificial turf. It is an issue that has been near the top of the players’ list during my team visits and one I have raised with the NFL.”
