Matthew Stafford Gives His Two Cents on Ongoing Grass vs. Turf Debate Amid Persistent ACL Injuries

Matthew Stafford and the Rams play the San Francisco 49ers at their home ground, SoFi Stadium, which uses synthetic turf.

Matthew Stafford Gives His Two Cents on Ongoing Grass vs. Turf Debate Amid Persistent ACL Injuries

Matthew Stafford (Image via Getty Images)

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The long-standing debate between natural grass and artificial turf resurfaced over the weekend after New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers suffered a non-contact ACL tear at MetLife Stadium. The injury, which is now considered and confirmed to be season-ending, reignited discussions among players, fans, and officials about the risks and long-term effects of synthetic playing surfaces in the NFL.

The findings from an NFLPA survey following a series of injuries in 2020 revealed overwhelming player opposition to turf. Nearly 93 percent of respondents identified artificial turf as a threat to the longevity of their careers, while 91 percent reported that playing on such surfaces left them feeling more fatigued and sore compared to natural grass.

With the debate reopening, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford added his thoughts about the grass vs. turf debate. Despite having played his entire 17-year career for teams whose home stadiums use turf, Stafford was unequivocal about his preference for grass. Stafford said on SiriusXM Let’s Go!

There are teams that are gonna host World Cup games, soccer games, and they refuse to play on turf. They lay grass down for those guys. I wanna play on grass every chance I get. I’m an old man. I know how I feel after I play on grass versus how I feel when I play on AstroTurf. It’s night and day.

He emphasized that grass fields not only reduce the likelihood of lower-body injuries but also lessen the overall physical toll on athletes’ bodies. He highlighted the contrast in recovery, noting how much more punishing turf is on joints, shoulders, and the head compared to natural surfaces.

However, a grass surface also has its own drawbacks. For example, Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill recently struggled with footing at Hard Rock Stadium, where overuse from both NFL and college football games left the grass uneven and unstable.

Fourteen NFL teams that use turf for their playing surfaces, including SoFi Stadium of Matthew Stafford

Despite the heightened debate, a significant portion of the league continues to rely on turf. As of the 2025 NFL season, 14 of the 32 franchises use artificial surfaces in their home stadiums. While the remaining teams play on natural grass, two clubs employ Desso GrassMaster, a hybrid field system that integrates natural grass with synthetic fibers to reinforce durability and stability.

Malik Nabers
Malik Nabers (Image via The US Sun)

These are the fourteen teams that use artificial grass.

FranchiseStadiumTurf
Seattle SeahawksLumen FieldFieldTurf Revolution 360
Atlanta FalconsMercedes-Benz StadiumFieldTurf Revolution
Buffalo BillsHighmark StadiumA-Turf Titan 50
Carolina PanthersBank of America StadiumFieldTurf
Cincinnati Bengals Paul Brown StadiumUBU Speed Series S5-M Synthetic Turf
Dallas Cowboys AT&T StadiumHellas Matrix Turf
Detroit LionsFord FieldFieldTurf Classic HD
Houston TexansNRG StadiumHellas Matrix Turf
Indianapolis ColtsLucas Oil StadiumShaw Sports Momentum Pro
Los Angeles RamsSoFi StadiumHellas Matrix Turf
Los Angeles ChargersSoFi StadiumHellas Matrix Turf
New Orleans SaintsCaesars SuperdomeFieldTurf Revolution 360
New York GiantsMetLife StadiumUBU Speed Series S5-M Synthetic Turf
New York JetsMetLife StadiumUBU Speed Series S5-M Synthetic Turf

The only NFL stadiums that use Desso GrassMaster are Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers) and Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia Eagles).

The rest of the 16 teams in the league use natural grass, which are of different varieties. The two popular ones among them are Kentucky Bluegrass and the Bermuda Bluegrass. The Arizona Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium in Glendale even have a retractable natural grass that can be removed in case of any other events.

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