Jude Magnotti ‘26
EE Sports Columnist
Why? Just why? Why does this keep happening!? We were only 5 weeks into the 2023 NFL season and there have already been an extensive list of major injuries. While there is no question that football is known for injuries, the first 5 weeks of this season have been a different universe entirely.
In week 1 we saw Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers go down with a season-ending achilles injury. In week 2 we saw a possible career-ending knee injury to Nick Chubb. Trevon Diggs tore his ACL in a simple practice drill!
In addition to the names I have just noted there have also been major injuries to star players Justin Jefferson, Cooper Kupp, and Devon Achane. While not season ending, the absence of these players still greatly affects their respective team. This massive amount of injuries to star players through only 5 weeks has left NFL teams and fans alike completely bamboozled. How could so many players be getting hurt in such a short time?
Could these injuries be just pure bad luck, or could there possibly be something else contributing to it? I am here to tell you that the answer has been staring you in the face all along. As the NFL has evolved as a league, they have slowly started to change the way they manage stadiums. They have added far more seats, activities, and concession stands. However, only one of these changes has been able to actually affect how the game is played– artificial turf.
The NFL has, over time, converted more and more fields from plain grass to artificial turf with over 15 stadiums utilizing it. They believe that players can run faster on artificial turf. In theory, this idea makes sense. If players can run faster on artificial turf it will mean more highlight plays which results in higher ratings for the NFL.
Unfortunately, the addition of artificial turf has come with many unforeseen consequences. Because of the increased friction of the turf, players’ feet have become more and more prone to getting caught in it. As a result of this, there is a much higher percentage that a player can sustain an ACL or achilles injury on any given play.
As a matter of fact, almost every single one of the previous mentioned injuries was ACL or achilles related. If you’re not convinced already, 5 of the 6 before-mentioned injuries occurred in stadiums with– you guessed it– artificial turf.
Unfortunately, this consequence of artificial turf is not new. If you remember back in Super Bowl 56, Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. sustained a non-contact ACL tear on a simple route. This injury kept Beckham away from football for over a year, and this has not been the only incident.
Last year’s Superbowl 57 was a thriller with the Chiefs winning on a last second field goal. However, one of the most memorable parts of the Super Bowl was not the ending, but how absolutely horrendous the turf was. Players were slipping left and right on the turf with Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker slipping on the kickoff three separate times.
After the game, fans and players alike called for the NFL to address this issue. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce pointed out how his foot kept slipping after almost every catch he made in the superbowl. He demanded that the NFL address this issue as a major risk to player safety…and he is absolutely right!
The health and safety of the players should come first and foremost over everything else. Kelce is not alone either; over 62% of NFL players have said that turf has negatively impacted their health and safety on the field.. The NFL has long been reckless with player safety as we saw last year with letting Tua Tagovailoa play after sustaining a major concussion. The NFL needs to realize that having this turf is not worth the risk that comes to the athletes on the field.
As much as they want higher ratings, they will be unable to achieve them if their players keep getting hurt. The unfortunate reality is that even if the NFL changes its policies, injuries will always be part of the game. It is a brutal sport and the players understand the risk they take every time they go on the field. However, making sure that player health and safety is a number one priority is the least the NFL can do to limit the risk for these players.
Despite the millions of dollars and eccentric personalities, the players are human beings as much as they are athletes. They have families and lives to tend to and they can not do that if their safety is being unnecessarily risked every time they go on the field. I fully expect more and more players to speak out against turf, and if the NFL finally listens for a change, we can make this game much safer and more enjoyable for everyone involved.