Nabers injury revives concerns on MetLife field

The large genu wounded suffered by New York Giants prima wide receiver Malik Nabers has reignited discussions astir the turf playing aboveground astatine MetLife Stadium.

One enforcement from an opposing squad said this week that, owed to the FieldTurf playing surface, his players are "petrified" of playing astatine MetLife. The enforcement added that if a subordinate is nursing an injury, helium mightiness beryllium little apt to play done it for a crippled astatine MetLife.

Others besides are alert and arsenic concerned. NFL Players Association interim enforcement manager David White was successful Newark, New Jersey, connected Monday for a scheduled sojourn with the Giants arsenic portion of his autumn squad meetings, and portion helium was there, helium raised the contented astir MetLife's turf tract and its ongoing past of season-ending little extremity injuries.

Nabers suffered a season-ending torn ACL and meniscus successful his close genu Sunday erstwhile helium leaped for a Jaxson Dart pass. The wide receiver instantly reached for his close limb arsenic helium was successful the aerial and landed hard connected the ground.

At slightest 15 players person suffered genu ligament oregon Achilles tears astatine MetLife since 2020. Some of the much notable ones see Jaelan Phillips (Achilles, 2023), Aaron Rodgers (Achilles, 2023), Wan'Dale Robinson (ACL, 2022), Sterling Shepard (ACL, 2022), Jabrill Peppers (ACL, 2021) and Nick Bosa (ACL, 2020). Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall besides suffered important ankle injuries astatine MetLife successful 2017.

Beckham posted to societal media Sunday nighttime asking for the NFL to "PLZ. PLZ. PLZ. GET RID OF THE [expletive emoji] TURF."

Dear @NFL , I mean this with the upmost emotion and respect. We (The NFL) instrumentality each The precautions successful the satellite with EVERYthing other erstwhile it comes to players "health" and "safety". PLZ. PLZ. PLZ. GET RID OF THE 🤬 TURF. Thank You successful advance. LUV

MetLife Stadium, the location of the Giants and New York Jets, installed an updated mentation of FieldTurf, called the FieldTurf Core system, successful 2023 that was hoped to alteration injuries.

In each of the past 2 years, much than 90% of players person said done the NFLPA's yearly survey that they similar to play connected writer alternatively of turf fields. One NFLPA authoritative said via email this week that its bureau has heard from players who are "puzzled" by stadiums that are changing to writer for the Club World Cup and World Cup but sticking with tract turf for football.

Despite immoderate outcry, the NFL has nary plans to alteration retired the playing aboveground astatine MetLife Stadium.

Nabers' wounded shined a spotlight connected the turf contented again, but 1 NFLPA authoritative said the taxable was percolating adjacent earlier, aft Cincinnati Bengals backmost Joe Burrow suffered a turf toed wounded portion playing connected the FieldTurf astatine Paycor Stadium successful Week 2. Burrow underwent country Sept. 19 and is expected to beryllium retired astatine slightest 3 months.

The Bengals were among the teams that switched to the FieldTurf Core strategy successful 2024.