Despite being one of the wealthiest sports teams in the world, Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys is unwilling to convert AT&T Field to a permanent grass field, a decision that would both positively impact his players’ health and establish a precedent for the NFL.
Players argued for the relative safety of playing on natural grass, and the debate against artificial turf gained momentum after New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending injury during “Monday Night Football” in Week 1.
MeLife Stadium, where Rodgers had his Achilles tendon injury while playing for the Giants and Jets, is among the roughly half of NFL venues that choose artificial turf over natural grass.
Though there are other motivations, financial gain is the most sensible. These large NFL stadiums can accommodate concerts and other events because artificial turf is simple to set up. This is more challenging with traditional grass fields, but it is still possible.
Dak Prescott, the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, stated in a Sports Illustrated article that he is a “100-percent grass guy” and speculated that playing on the AT&T Stadium turf may have contributed to his season-ending fractured ankle in Week 5 of the 2020 season. He also pushed for the league to standardize on natural grass.
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