Grass or Turf?

by Sam Wynn and Brady Taylor

We are covering some of the issues surrounding turf and grass fields in the NFL (National Football League). This was a common topic of discussion amongst related media throughout the 2022 NFL season but has been discussed by the NFLPA (National Football League Players Association) for a number of years.

Player’s personal experiences as well as data support the notion that injury rate increases when athletes are playing on turf. Artificial turf is used on fields to mimic the look of grass. It is made of synthetic fibers and does not require the same amount of maintenance and attention that grass fields do. Underneath the turf is copolymer, which is a plastic. The look and feel is akin to rubber. The general issue with turf is that the copolymer is less forgiving underfoot leading to players having greater wear and tear on joints. During contact in contact sports like football, players may fall on each other and the turf does not sink a significant amount causing the players limbs to be more stationary than grass fields would leading to high rates of injury to ankles, knees, and toes.

A very significant issue in this year’s super bowl was the grass field. A highly respected groundskeeper named George Toma created his own species of grass specifically for the 2022 Super Bowl. This grass was supposed to incorporate several unique characteristics that are desirable for grass fields but in practice players complained of their lack of traction. This could lead to more injuries as players slip on the field during play.

We plan to discuss some personal experiences with turf/grass as well as interview an ex NFL player. We will delve into some of the injury statistics as well as implementation and upkeep costs for each type.