The home stadium of two NFL teams is coming under intense scrutiny once again after a star wide receiver was lost for the season following an ACL injury.
According to Sports Illustrated, New York Giants superstar wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers, largely due to the artificial turf at MetLife Stadium, home of both the Giants and New York Jets.
MetLife’s artificial turf has been a recurring problem for the NFL; since 2020, eight different players have suffered season-ending ACL or Achilles tendon injuries on the fake grass in New Jersey, according to Yahoo Fantasy Sports.
It’s gotten bad enough that Philadelphia Eagles star Jalen Carter opted not to play in Week 6 against the Giants while nursing an ankle injury, because of concerns that the turf could exacerbate what was believed to be a relatively minor issue.
Artificial turf has been a controversial issue for the NFL for a variety of reasons, not least of which being the number of serious injuries that seem to occur on it.
Players, coaches, and players’ agents have called for the removal of the fake grass. Modern FieldTurf uses rubber pellets over a base layer of sand to cushion impacts, but players contend that it’s harder to pivot, turn, and grip on artificial surfaces, despite the NFL’s claims that data doesn’t show a higher rate of serious injury on artificial turf.
The issue of fake grass extends beyond just injury risk. According to a 2024 study, detailed by The Guardian, those who play on artificial surfaces are likely to be coated in more PFAS than other people. These highly toxic “forever chemicals” don’t break down naturally over time and can accumulate in the body.
Exposure to PFAS has been linked to cancer, decreases in fertility, and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease.
MetLife has no plans to permanently replace the artificial turf field with natural grass, although it will temporarily replace it for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA regulations require natural grass fields for major tournaments, and if the surface is a success, it could be the push the Jets, Giants, and stadium ownership need to make a permanent change.
For the everyday consumer, the risks and costs associated with an artificial grass lawn would far outweigh any potential benefits.
Apart from the considerable risk of PFAS exposure, they’re also more expensive to install, still require watering in the summer to keep them cool and clean, and require replacement every few years as the plastic begins to break down.
It also leads to the production of microplastics, which have become a massive environmental problem and human health concern.
Instead, a natural lawn is much better for those with outdoor space. Natural ground cover, such as clover or buffalo grass, provides a low-maintenance alternative to monoculture grass lawns that can save gardeners money on water bills while benefiting the local ecosystem, including crucial pollinators.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.