NFL players turn World Cup grass into turf war
George Kittle and other NFL players are pressing the league to replace artificial turf after World Cup stadium conversions held up.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
George Kittle saw the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium and found a ready-made exhibit for the NFL: the grass was still there, still playable, and still drawing attention from football players who want turf gone.
The San Francisco 49ers tight end posted on X on Sunday after attending Spain vs. Argentina, urging the NFL to use grass instead of artificial turf. CBS Sports reported that Kittle had also argued last month that the World Cup conversions at venues such as MetLife Stadium and SoFi Stadium showed NFL owners could keep grass fields if they wanted to pay for it.
The push has become a wider player campaign. According to CBS Sports, the NFL Players Association used the hashtag #WorthTheCost over the World Cup final weekend as players pressed league decision-makers to make natural grass the standard.
Players join the grass campaign
Kittle was not alone. Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams posted the hashtag on X, while Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor wrote that natural grass was within reach and that players should be prioritized.
Washington Commanders offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil connected the issue directly to the World Cup, writing on X that if stadiums could make grass work for the tournament, they could do it for NFL players. Carolina Panthers linebacker Devin Lloyd also posted in support of the campaign.
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft said on X that the Packers are “spoiled” because they play on what he called the NFL’s best surface, adding that natural grass should be the only surface used.
CBS Sports reported that Kittle said last month he believes 90% of players would choose grass over turf if given the choice, though the outlet noted that the exact level of support is unclear.
Safety is the players’ case
The NFLPA has been calling for a full shift to natural surfaces for three years, according to CBS Sports. JC Tretter, the union’s first-year executive director and former NFLPA president, has been a prominent voice on the issue.
In a 2020 article for the NFLPA, Tretter cited league injury data from 2012 through 2018 showing non-contact lower-extremity injuries occurred at a 28% higher rate on turf than on grass. The same data showed 32% more non-contact knee injuries and 69% more foot and ankle injuries on turf during that span.
Tretter wrote that artificial surfaces put more force on players’ legs because grass has more give. He also said his joints felt stiffer the day after practicing on artificial fields compared with grass.
MetLife Stadium has been a central example in the debate. CBS Sports noted that before its World Cup grass installation, the stadium’s artificial surface was in place when several notable players suffered serious lower-body injuries there in recent years, including Malik Nabers, Aaron Rodgers, Sterling Shepard, Wan’Dale Robinson, Kyle Fuller and Nick Bosa.
World Cup conversions raise the pressure
The World Cup did not make grass easy. CBS Sports reported that MetLife Stadium’s conversion required removing AstroTurf, installing 20 truckloads of Tahoma 31 bermudagrass, adding about two feet of sand, and putting in irrigation and vacuum ventilation. The grass had been grown for about 10 months at Carolina Green Turf Farm outside Charlotte, North Carolina.
Maintenance is another obstacle, especially for football, which wears down fields over a long regular season and playoffs. Indoor stadiums add another layer of difficulty.
Still, CBS Sports reported that World Cup grass fields stayed in strong condition across the tournament. AT&T Stadium hosted nine matches on natural grass, SoFi Stadium hosted eight, and retractable-roof venues NRG Stadium and Mercedes-Benz Stadium combined for 15.
Half of NFL stadiums already use natural grass, according to CBS Sports. Players pushing the campaign argue the other half can make the same switch, with Kittle asking why owners would not spend extra money to put grass in every stadium.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.