The NY Jets have a serious problem on their hands as it pertains to the MetLife Stadium turf. The heavily-criticized playing surface has come under fire in recent years due to its supposedly unsafe conditions. You can add one more individual to the list of players to publicly call out the stadium’s turf.
Jets cornerback Michael Carter II responded to a tweet from Pro Football Talk on Friday that cited a recent study regarding the safety of a turf playing surface.
The study, conducted by a joint NFL/NFLPA committee, found that there was no direct correlation between playing on turf and an increased risk of injury. Carter, speaking on behalf of most NFL players, disagreed.
Carter insisted that there was a significant difference in the two playing surfaces, inviting the people who conducted the study to play a game on the MetLife turf to see how they felt.
Need some of these people to go into MetLife and bounce off that turf for 3 hours and tell me how you feel after vs grass 😂 https://t.co/Uy7LrprkYi
— Michael Carter II (@mcarter2nd) February 2, 2024
Michael Carter II is the latest NY Jets player to call out the MetLife Stadium turf
Carter joins a long list of NFL players who have criticized the playing surface at MetLife Stadium. Many other players from other teams, including the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins, have also been outspoken about their hatred of playing on the turf.
While the study found that “the rate of injuries that occur in the lower extremities without contact from another player was 0.001 higher per 100 plays on turf than it was on grass,” that doesn’t tell the full story.
It doesn’t account for the wear and tear a player’s body is put through playing on the turf. As Carter implied, it takes a toll on their bodies. Artificial surfaces such as turf have much less give than natural ones, leading to more injuries and pain over time.
The MetLife turf’s reputation has gotten so bad that there are rumblings of free agents outright refusing to play for the Jets or Giants strictly because of the stadium they’d be forced to play in.
The turf has a tangible impact on the success of both franchises, and it’s no coincidence that the Jets and Giants have frequently been among the NFL’s most injury-riddled teams on a yearly basis.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however. The expectation is that MetLife Stadium will be forced to switch over to a grass field to comply with FIFA regulations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It’s unclear at this time if the change would be permanent.
The Jets and Giants have a significant problem on their hands with the MetLife Stadium turf. Unfortunately, the teams’ ownership groups haven’t shown any willingness to take it seriously.
