GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Kansas City Chiefs hoisting another Lombardi Trophy, Rihanna’s halftime performance and pregnancy announcement, there were so many things to talk about after the Super Bowl.
Field conditions were also a big talker after many noticed players slipping on the field.
Super Bowl 57 is the first time the championship game has used this grass – a blend called Tahoma 31 – it’s a type of Bermuda grass mixed with a rye grass sod.
The NFL paid about $800,000 dollars for the field – starting with a local farmer growing the grass on top of a sheet of plastic two years ago.
The sod was then put on a tray inside State Farm Arena and rolled out into the sunshine every day.
Most NFL players want to play on grass fields, saying they believe it’s safer and they are less prone to injuries.
Even with the grass field, fans quickly noticed both Chiefs and Eagles players had a hard time staying on their feet.
WHY WAS IT SLICK
The North Carolina Turf Industry Council advocates for properly maintained surfaces, including grass.
While they did not deal directly with the Super Bowl grass, with decades of experience shared what could have contributed to the slick conditions.
They explained the Tahoma 31 blend includes Bermuda grass and a heavy over seed of perennial rye grass to make it look good.
A representative with the NC Turf Industry Council said it was most likely not the grass, but the environment the grass was in. Thousands of fans packed into the stadium and it created a micro climate around the grass.
All the breathing, combined with cooler February temperatures meant more moisture could build up.
You add moisture to the perennial rye grass which has a waxier surface, and it could have made things slick on the field.
TURF VS. GRASS DEBATE
The debate between playing on turf vs. grass fields is not new. During the 2022 season there were 16 grass fields and 14 turf fields used at NFL stadiums.
The National Football League Players Association pushes for more grass fields, citing player safety concerns.
In a blog post on the topic, NFLPA President and former NFL center JC Tretter detailed his experience playing on different surfaces.
“Whenever I practiced on an artificial field surface, my joints felt noticeably stiffer the next day. the unforgiving nature of artificial turf, compounds the grind on the body we already bear from playing a contact sport,” said Tretter.
The NFL released a study in November of 2022, arguing data showed there was no drastic difference in the amount of injuries on turf vs. grass fields.
TURF INJURIES
Doctors say they see more injuries in players who participate in stadium sports on turf fields.
“Turf is less forgiving and turf leads to more non-contact injuries. We think about football injuries as being contact injuries due to tackling and such but in essence there is a 32% higher rate of non-contact injuries, that means an ACL injury that would knock someone out for an entire season,” said Dr. Lisa Cannada, an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Novant Health.
While athletes often can’t control the field they are playing on, there are somethings they can do to try and prevent injury, especially for younger high school athletes.
“Just walking the field and surveying the field to let them know (of any divots), there also can be puddles if it’s raining even on turf because turf drains, it might not be draining and that can set someone up for injury so always surveying the surface,” said Dr. Cannada.