Many NFL professionals would prefer to play only on natural grass because of the lower risk of injury – but some NFL owners continue to rely on the artificial version in their stadiums. Now the discussion is gaining new momentum.

Artificial turf or natural grass? The question of which surface NFL games should be played on continues to preoccupy the league.

Some top athletes had recently spoken out against artificial turf because the risk of injury was higher than on normal grass.

NFL chief medical officer admits poor numbers

New numbers now back up criticism from artificial turf opponents. “ProFootballTalk” reports the injury data for artificial turf was “terrible” in 2022, according to one source

At this week’s team owners meeting in Minneapolis, NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills acknowledged that the “numbers were not good,” without going into specifics.

There’s a concession for football

According to “ProFootballTalk’s” source, the league is blinding itself to the fundamental differences between the risk of injury on real grass and that on artificial turf.

Where the football authorities are opposed, they are prepared to make concessions for football. This gives the discussion a new dynamic. For the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the USA, Mexico and Canada, normal turf will have to be laid.

For NFL owners, the issue is one of money – despite the many billions the league now takes in.