Jets, Giants Serious About Grass Field at MetLife Stadium?

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson appears to be open to the idea of switching the MetLife Stadium playing surface to artificial grass.

Might the home of the New York Jets be on the verge of a permanent playing surface makeover? 

Since opening in 2010, MetLife Stadium has routinely come under fire for the poor quality of its field turf. In fact, the majority of Jets players, along with their New York Giants co-tenants, have been clamoring for the team to make the switch to natural grass. They did so as a result of the rash of injuries incurred by players throughout the years.

With the venue set to host the 2026 World Cup final, —a commitment which will force a temporary change to grass — Jets owner Woody Johnson and Giants co-owner John Mara are apparently open to the idea for the long-term.

© Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com

“We discuss it at least once a week,” Johnson told reporters on Thursday before the NFL Honors award show in Las Vegas, leading up to Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Johnson added that grass “could be a challenge, because the stadium hosts so many events — and because two NFL teams share the open-air venue until at least late December or early January. Maintaining a sound playing surface deep into the calendar year and into the postseason carries its own set of problems. 

While manufactured playing turf has been largely maligned since its inception, the cries to remove it from NFL venues reached their loudest in Sept. 2020. Throughout the course of a single game at MetLife Stadium, San Francisco 49ers defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas both suffered torn ACLs. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo also incurred a high ankle sprain, while running back Raheem Mostert tore his MCL.

After the game, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan voiced his concerns, seeming strengthening the case for the turf’s removal. 

"I know our players talked about it the entire game, just how sticky the turf was,” Shanahan said. "I think that was the first time people played on it. That was something our guys were concerned about right away and the result definitely made that a lot stronger."

As the Niners prepare to take the field at Allegiant Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII — Johnson’s declaration may signify a change being in the works. Having utilized an artificial turf called UBU Speed S5-M for the majority of its operating years, MetLife Stadium changed to FieldTurf Core HD before the 2023 NFL season. Though the surface was deemed to have more of a natural feel, it was not without its detractors. In fact, several continued to blame the Stadium turf for Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffering a torn Achilles just four plays into his Jets tenure. 

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Though the amount of injuries which can definitively be attributed to MetLife’s playing turf remains a matter of conjecture, players and coaches alike have resoundingly voiced their desire to play on grass. 

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