Bakhtiari blasts NFL for turf usage after Rodgers injury: 'Sick of this'
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari lashed out at the NFL regarding its usage of artificial turf after watching former teammate Aaron Rodgers go down with a season-ending Achilles injury four plays into his New York Jets debut at MetLife Stadium.
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.
- David Bakhtiari (@DavidBakhtiari) September 12, 2023
I'm sick of this..Do better!
Rodgers appeared to get his foot caught in the turf on a first-quarter sack. He was helped off the field before being carted to the locker room. The 39-year-old was spotted in a walking boot before being ruled out.
The NFL and NFLPA have long been at odds over the usage of artificial turf. Rodgers said in 2022 that it was "time to go all grass throughout the league."
MetLife Stadium, the home of the Jets and New York Giants, installed a new playing surface made up of synthetic turf earlier this offseason. The new surface was FieldTurf Core system, which was designed to decrease injury rates after the stadium received widespread criticism due to injuries suffered on its turf surface in the past.
MetLife Stadium is one of the venues set to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and will be required to install a temporary grass surface.
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