Aaron Rodgers' injury is a sign the NFL needs to rethink its stance on turf or grass fields
This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, winners. I hope you’re well today. Let’s talk a bit about this Aaron Rodgers injury again. I know, I know. Sorry, Jets fans.
But there’s a fascinating conversation taking place right now about the use of turf surfaces in the NFL. Rodgers’ devastating Achilles injury has rekindled the debate.
Lots of folks think this could’ve been prevented if MetLife Stadium used natural grass as opposed to turf. A large conglomerate of those people are actually NFL players, too, including one of Rodgers’ former teammates in tackle David Bakhtiari.
Congrats @nfl. How many more players have to get hurt on ARTIFICIAL TURF??! You care more about soccer players than us. You plan to remove all artificial turf for the World Cup coming up. So clearly it’s feasible.
I’m sick of this..Do better!— David Bakhtiari (@DavidBakhtiari) September 12, 2023
He makes a point that’s hard to argue with. MetLife Stadium will be a venue for the 2026 World Cup and, as one of the host sites, the stadium is required to apply natural grass instead of turf, in accordance to FIFA rules.
The simple fact is athletes prefer natural grass. There’s a reason for that. They believe it’s safer. It takes more to maintain, yes, but it preserves the athlete better. NFLPA President JC Tretter made a convincing argument earlier this year in April with data backing that up:
“Specifically, players have a 28% higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries when playing on artificial turf. Of those non-contact injuries, players have a 32% higher rate of non-contact knee injuries on turf and a staggering 69% higher rate of non-contact foot/ankle injuries on turf compared to grass.”
Those numbers are staggering and it’s something the NFL should absolutely be concerned about if the league cares about player safety the way it says.
The NFL has obviously pushed back against this, but it’s hard to completely trust the league here considering its responses have flipped a few times. At one point, the NFL says there’s a significant jump in non-contact injuries to players playing on artificial surfaces. The next minute, the league says there’s not. It can’t seem to make up its mind.
To shoot the NFL a bit of bail here, it’s hard to blame just one thing when it comes to an injury like Rodgers’ specifically and its circumstances.
His injury wasn’t a non-contact injury, as Jets head coach Robert Saleh has pointed out. Plus, there were two other major injuries last week to Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins and Browns OT Jack Conklin who were both playing on grass. At the end of the day, football is a dangerous sport. And injuries — especially significant ones like this — are bound to happen. That’s just the reality.
But that’s exactly why the league and its owners need to do everything in their power to preserve these players for as long as they can. Even if it doesn’t make a significant difference, it’s still making a difference.
Miss me with the argument that grass is too expensive. Even the least valuable team in the league is worth $4 billion. The NFL is rolling in cash and that’s not changing. The only thing the owners should be worried about is continuing to improve the product.
Fewer injuries sound like a huge improvement to me. Make it happen, NFL.
The WNBA playoffs are here
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
It’s time, folks. It’s been a long time coming, but the WNBA playoffs are here.
It’s felt all season like we’ve been on a collision course for a finals matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty. We’ll see if we actually get it.
First things first, though. Here’s the lay of the land:
- Las Vegas Aces (34-6)
- New York Liberty (32-8)
- Connecticut Sun (27-13)
- Dallas Wings (22-18)
- Atlanta Dream (19-21)
- Minnesota Lynx (19-21)
- Washington Mystics (19-21)
- Chicago Sky (18-22)
Round 1 of the playoffs begins today. The first round is a best-of-three series with the high seed hosting the first two games. If Game 3 is necessary, the lower seed hosts. From there, the semifinals and WNBA Finals are both best-of-five series with Game 5 going to the higher seed.
Today’s matchups:
- Minnesota Lynx @ Connecticut Sun (8:00 p.m. ET)
- Chicago Sky @ Las Vegas Aces (10:00 p.m. ET)
I’ve got the Aces winning it all. The Liberty could reasonably win it, too. But I’m warning you now — don’t sleep on Alyssa Thomas and the Connecticut Sun. This is going to be so much fun.
Paul George is so good at this
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
You’re probably thinking I’m talking about Paul George’s podcast here, which is absolutely a very good podcast. And you should listen to it.
Not just for the podcast, though. The impressions are absolutely uncanny. We already heard his spot on Charles Barkley impression. But, yo. This Doc Rivers impression? It’s SO MUCH BETTER.
George was chopping it up with Steve Ballmer (yes, the Clippers owner) about his first moments leading the team. Then, in the middle of Ballmer’s story, he just pulls out this Doc impression and it’s uncanny.
Come for Steve Ballmer's 1st learning moments as Clippers governor, stay for PG's Doc Rivers impression pic.twitter.com/5QpLTlJIpJ
— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) September 12, 2023
“Ballmer: So our first game was against OKC. I’m going crazy. Doc talks to me after the game. He says “you might want to save a little wear and tear on your vocal chords and your body. It’s like ‘Oh, okay Doc.’
George: Otherwise, you’ll talk like me.
Ballmer: That’s two. Two good impersonations. I like the other one you did of Charles Barkley, too.
George: Steve. You’re going to sound like me if — I don’t know, I don’t know.”
It’s so good, y’all. Do yourself a favor and watch that video.
Quick hits: NFL Power Rankings after Week 1 … Everything we know about Jim Trotter vs. the NFL … and more
— Christian D’Andrea and Robert Zeglinski have you covered on power rankings following Week 1 of NFL action.
— Reporter Jim Trotter is filing a retaliation lawsuit against the NFL with some wild allegations of racism among the league’s owners. Charles Curtis has more.
— Stephen A. Smith wants y’all to chill out on Shannon Sharpe. Here’s Charles again.
— Our Mitchell Northam has the breakdown on the epic fifth episode of Ahsoka. Please go watch it after reading this.
That’s all, folks! Happy Wednesday.