Aaron Rodgers – ‘Time to go all grass’ fields for NFL participant security

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers thinks it is time for the NFL to mandate that each one video games be performed on pure grass surfaces, however he does not have excessive hopes that it’ll occur.

“No, truthfully, I haven’t got numerous confidence in terms of the league making that call with out some form of huge vote and gripes from sure house owners who do not need to spend the cash,” Rodgers mentioned Tuesday.

This is not the primary time Rodgers has spoken out on participant issues of safety. He was towards the NFL’s growth to 17 video games in 2021.

“This to me is participant security,” Rodgers mentioned.

“[Expanding to 17 games] was about financial good points, so this could be placing your cash the place your mouth is that if participant security is essential.”

Rodgers’ feedback Tuesday adopted a concerted effort by the NFL Gamers Affiliation over the weekend to convey consideration to a disparity between damage occurrences on grass and a sure kind of synthetic floor referred to as “slit-film turf.”

The NFLPA referred to as for the “Quick Alternative and Ban of all Slit Movie Turf,” citing the next price of accidents on these surfaces, which the union mentioned is utilized by seven groups (the Giants, Jets, Lions, Vikings, Saints, Colts and Bengals).

Earlier final week, the NFL mentioned the speed of noncontact accidents to the knee, ankle and foot is roughly the identical on pure and synthetic taking part in surfaces, in accordance with inner knowledge reviewed Tuesday by ESPN.

The Packers, who host the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night time, play on polyethylene-based SISGrass during which artificial fibers are stitched along with pure Kentucky bluegrass.

“I do suppose it is time to go all grass all through the league,” Rodgers mentioned. “I feel you’d see much less of those noncontact accidents that we see on a number of the surfaces, and I feel that it might be a superb step in the precise course in direction of participant security to make the requirement for each area to be grass.”