The NFLPA says injury rates are significantly higher on artificial turf than on grass

[wazu]

A pretty bad look for the NFL. Glad Arrowhead has a grass field. Seems like a big key to our success this past half-decade has been good fortune on the injury front. I can't imagine a team making the conscious decision to opt for the "more injuries" approach.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...grass-in-2022/

Spoiler!

During the 2022 season, ESPN published data supplied by the NFL that purported to show that injury rates on grass and artificial turf were approximately the same. The NFL Players Association says that data was misleading, and that the NFL highlighted one outlier year’s worth of injury rates when the full body of research makes clear that players are injured more often on artificial turf.

According to the NFLPA, the NFL selectively released injury data from 2021 only, and 2021 happened to be an unusual year because injury rates on artificial turf and grass were very similar that year — although even in 2021, players were slightly more likely to be injured on turf. But in every other season besides 2021, the NFLPA says, injury rates were significantly higher on turf.

That includes the 2022 season, when injury rates on turf were as high as ever — and when the NFL didn’t make an effort to get those injury rates published by the media.

NFLPA President J.C. Tretter wrote on the NFLPA’s website that the injury data from the 2022 season makes clear that 2021 was a statistical outlier, and that in every other season for which there is injury data to compare grass and turf, grass has proven significantly safer.

“In short, last year, the gap – much like the NFL’s credibility with players on this issue – was as wide as it has ever been, proving that (as the NFLPA suspected) 2021 was in fact an outlier,” Tretter writes. “Now, 10 of the previous 11 years show the same exact thing — grass is a significantly safer surface than turf.”

Tretter said the players can’t trust the NFL when it would selectively release misleading data on players’ health and safety.

“The credibility the league has with the players on health and safety issues is virtually nonexistent,” Tretter writes. “Instead of following the long-term data (which is clear on this issue), listening to players and making the game safer, the NFL used an outlier year to engage in a PR campaign to convince everyone that the problem doesn’t actually exist.”

The union would prefer that every NFL stadium have a grass field, but it making little progress in convincing the league to take the issue seriously. In fact, this year one more stadium will have a turf field, as the Titans have announced that they’re replacing their grass with an artificial surface.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by wazu

Seems like the Chiefs do okay with it.

And they practice daily on a synthetic surface.

[chiefzilla1501]

There also needs to be consequences for rolling out shitty grass fields. Asm global maintains the turf for both Arizona and Chicago and it’s more than a little interesting that the chiefs played on 3 of the shittiest fields imaginable (2x in Arizona, once in Chicago preseason) from the same provider

[Hound333]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Yep. It's much, much cheaper to maintain. And let's face it, HS players getting injured isn't top of mind for most people.

The NFL, and the global stage it occupies, is a whole different ballgame. They can't afford to have their stars sidelined every year due to injuries.

I think the cost is close to the same according to the buildings and grounds people at the HS I work for. The main reason I don't see them going away from HS is that when its grass, you can't use the field except for the 4-5 home games a year. They wouldn't even let the middle school use the field for games. Had to look good on Friday or the public would email complaints all Fall.

Now its used pretty much everyday.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by In58men

Raiders have real grass, they roll it outside for sunlight.

A new indoor stadium can be built for a roll out field.

But existing indoor stadiums won't have that option.

And I wonder if roll out fields work as well in cold climates?

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

A new indoor stadium can be built for a roll out field.

But existing indoor stadiums won't have that option.

And I wonder if roll out fields work as well in cold climates?

Meh, pretty sure you can drive a car/truck/ambulance into every stadium in the league, so you can wheel in pallets of sod or however they divide up the field for transport.

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by Hound333

I think the cost is close to the same according to the buildings and grounds people at the HS I work for. The main reason I don't see them going away from HS is that when its grass, you can't use the field except for the 4-5 home games a year. They wouldn't even let the middle school use the field for games. Had to look good on Friday or the public would email complaints all Fall.

Now its used pretty much everyday.

I was told-the cost to water, maintain, fertilize, mow, cover....is about the same as turf.

Plus, one football game on a wet field ruins grass for the other teams and the rest of the season. Only need one field for soccer, lacrosse, all JV and Varsity sports.

[Rain Man]

I'm surprised that grass isn't related to more injuries since Nick Bolton and Willie Gay play most of their games on grass.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Mr_Tomahawk

Many injuries on synthetic turf fields are a result of the field crews adding too much infill resulting in a soft field. Soft fields lead to lower body injuries. This is what was happening 5 or so years ago in New England when like 5 players blew out their knees on one of their practice fields. It was later found their practice field had a shock pad AND crumb rubber which results in a spongy field.

As mentioned, the crumb rubber is being replace with organic infills which in turn require a shock pad to meet HIC requirements.

New England used both...because they didnt know what they were doing.

Whoa.

You'd figure that softer would be a little better, but yikes.

[Bump]

if the NFL cared like they claim to, they would force proper fields and ban this shit that players get injured on way more often. They are a mega billion dollar business, there's no excuse.

[Titty Meat]

The NFL's solution?


More Thursday night games!

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

And what do you do about indoor stadiums?

Ban those too. Play the game outside like it is supposed to be played.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

So is this because the surface is harder when a player lands on it?

Or because the surface provides a better grip for footwear and instead of the foot losing grip a knee blows out?

Or both?

I've always wondered whether on indoor artificial turf fields if you restricted the sort of cleats players could wear, so that at some point their foot would slip instead of their knee blowing out, would that improve player safety?

Personal experience is that field turf is pretty close to landing on grass but the grip is better and that's not always a good thing. It also ****ing SUCKS ASS when it's hot. I played games on that shit when it was 90-95 and the 1 ft above the turf was reading 130-140 degrees. Shit is HOT. The little rubber granules get in your eyes and shit too and sting like a mother****er. Field turf is much more forgiving than straight-up astro turf though. That shit sucks. Nothing like playing on a rug stretched over concrete. You stick to that shit so bad and then the strawberries from rug burn is amazing good fun. Hate that shit with all that I am.

[Jewish Rabbi]

Originally Posted by kccrow

Personal experience is that field turf is pretty close to landing on grass but the grip is better and that's not always a good thing. It also ****ing SUCKS ASS when it's hot. I played games on that shit when it was 90-95 and the 1 ft above the turf was reading 130-140 degrees. Shit is HOT. The little rubber granules get in your eyes and shit too and sting like a mother****er. Field turf is much more forgiving than straight-up astro turf though. That shit sucks. Nothing like playing on a rug stretched over concrete. You stick to that shit so bad and then the strawberries from rug burn is amazing good fun. Hate that shit with all that I am.

BRC Jr has just solved the issue with a personal anecdote, go ahead and lock this one up mods.

[BleedingRed]

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

BRC Jr has just solved the issue with a personal anecdote, go ahead and lock this one up mods.

HAUL HIM AWAY

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

BRC Jr has just solved the issue with a personal anecdote, go ahead and lock this one up mods.

Sucks being the clueless ****, doesn't it?

You have no way to contribute aside from making tasteless jokes nobody finds amusing except for the other reeruns on this board.

I won't miss you when I'm gone cupcake, you can take comfort in that.