The Physical Nature of American Football
American football has always been an intensely physical sport. The fundamental principle is to overpower the defense by running through it or outpacing defenders and making athletic catches. Over the years, with countless career-ending injuries and the discovery from brilliant scientists of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and its effects on retired athletes, the NFL has worked to make the game safer.
Efforts Toward Player Safety
The league has implemented primary safety measures, including rules changes, developing safer helmets, and incorporating independent doctors to monitor head trauma, who many fans dislike. These efforts also include changes in how the actual game is played, with changes in iconic plays like the kickoff, aiming to safeguard both the integrity of the sport and the health of the athletes. However, one aspect of the game still raises serious concern — the continued use of turf fields.
The Backstory of Turf in the NFL
The NFL’s use of turf dates back to 1965, when the Houston Oilers adopted Astroturf after their natural grass field died due to a lack of sunlight. The concept of artificial turf originated during the Korean War. Researchers found that urban recruits were in worse physical condition than those from rural areas because they lacked recreational spaces. To address the problem faced by recruits of metropolitan regions, the Ford Foundation developed an artificial surface in 1958 that could replicate grass and be installed anywhere.
Early Benefits of Artificial Turf
Initially, artificial turf was viewed as a positive innovation. It provided a uniform playing surface across different climates and drained water efficiently, reducing weather delays. Turf also helped prevent specific injuries caused by slipping on wet, muddy fields. For a time, it represented progress in sports infrastructure.
The Problem with Turf Fields Today
Despite the NFL’s technological advancements and vast financial resources, many stadiums still use turf fields — including MetLife Stadium, infamous for career-altering injuries. Multiple studies have repeatedly shown that turf increases the risk of lower extremity injuries, particularly ACL and Achilles tears, as the cleats tend to bite awkwardly during athletic motions, increasing dangerous flexions in the lower extremities. It seems like every season we must stay up to date on NFL injury updates after every game in this cursed turf as it seems like week in and week out an athlete suffers a devastating injury.
The NFL’s Paradox of Technology and Tradition
The NFL is an odd mix of innovation and tradition. The league embraces cutting-edge technology such as pylon cameras and drone footage to enhance viewership. Yet, until recently, it relied on chains to measure first downs — a method that has been unchanged for decades. Similarly, while teams and owners invest heavily in facilities and broadcast technology, many continue to use turf instead of natural grass.
The Impact on Players and the League
The 29 billionaire owners of the teams understand that protecting star players improves the overall entertainment value. Rule changes have gone so far that quarterbacks are barely allowed to be touched. However, running backs and wide receivers — constantly cutting, sprinting, and changing direction — deserve playing surfaces that reduce the likelihood of devastating leg injuries. These injuries have cut short the careers of highlight players like Odell Beckham, Nick Bossa, Aaron Rodgers, and the bright rookie Malik Nabers.
Financial Implications and Market Inequality
Not every team generates the same revenue. Smaller markets like Jacksonville, Cincinnati, and Buffalo do not have the financial muscle of teams in major cities such as Los Angeles or New York, which even have multiple franchises. The Giants and Jets both play at MetLife Stadium — one of the largest in the league, with a capacity of over 82,000 — hosting 17 regular-season games per year on its controversial turf.
The Economics of Turf vs. Grass
Maintaining a grass field is more expensive, but the long-term cost of losing star players far outweighs those maintenance expenses. American sports have a way of changing the rules and equipment of sports to increase the fans’ entertainment value. Injuries to any athlete are terrible, but to a star marketable one reduce merchandise sales, fan engagement, and overall league revenue. Despite this, some owners favor artificial turf as a cost-saving measure.
Lessons from Other Stadiums
Modern stadiums around the world have found innovative ways to maintain natural grass. For example, the newly renovated Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid has implemented advanced systems to keep grass fields healthy and playable year-round. If international soccer giants can manage it, surely the NFL — one of the wealthiest sports leagues in the world — can too.
The Need for Change
How long will the league continue allowing the New York Jets and the New York Giants to have this dangerous turf? With the FIFA World Cup coming in 2026, the turf was ordered to be switched to natural grass. Continuing to use turf fields like the one at MetLife Stadium is a financial and moral misstep. Sports are dangerous, and injuries will happen whether we want them or not. Ensuring that the best equipment in the market with the latest technology is used is key to protecting players’ health, which should take precedence over maintenance savings. For a league that prides itself on technological innovation and continues to push for a better quality of life for its retired athletes, it is time for the National Football League to apply the same forward-thinking approach to the surface which its athletes leave their blood, sweat, and tears on.
