PITTSBURGH — Players from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns expressed «outrage» and concerns to the NFL Players Association about the «embarrassing» playing surface last weekend at Acrisure Stadium, a union source told ESPN.
«The NFLPA has conveyed its concern to the NFL and will work to ensure that players are not put in that position going forward,» the source said Wednesday.
Some players said the field, which was already scheduled to be resodded after the game, was «dry.» Steelers offensive lineman Broderick Jones was one of multiple players who said they «kicked up chunks of grass» when they made explosive movements.
League spokesperson Brian McCarthy said Wednesday that the NFL has «been in touch with both the union and the club, which has taken steps to replace the grass surface.»
«I thought it was poor [Sunday],» Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Monday about the field conditions. «I'm not concerned going forward. It's my understanding that that turf is going to be swapped out, but I certainly acknowledge it was a concern yesterday.»
Steelers kicker Chris Boswell slipped on the turf as he attempted and missed a fourth-quarter field goal, and special teams captain Miles Killebrew suffered a «significant» noncontact knee injury as he planted on the turf.
«Honestly, it was s---,» Steelers defensive captain and NFLPA team representative Cameron Heyward said Tuesday. «I lost one of my teammates and kind of makes me sad about it.»
Heyward said he still prefers a grass playing surface to turf, which has drawn scrutiny at stadiums such as MetLife for high-profile injuries. But Heyward added that Sunday's field was below standard.
The league has stated that there was no difference in injury rates between synthetic
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