Aaron Rodgers blasts “unplayable” Steelers field as NFLPA demands answers

Last week, the Cleveland Browns traveled to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers, and apparently the conditions at Acrisure Stadium were so bad that the players on both sides, including Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers took it up with the NFL Player’s Association.

“Embarrassing”: players furious over Browns-Steelers field conditions in Pittsburgh

According to the NFLPA, multiple players immediately contacted the union to complain about the “embarrassing” field quality. Rodgers called it “borderline unplayable”.

The NFLPA has since raised the issue with the NFL, reigniting the long-running grass vs turf debate that continues to divide players and owners.

While players overwhelmingly prefer natural grass for safety reasons, the union stressed that not all grass fields are created equal, and the one in Pittsburgh fell far below acceptable standards. The poor surface may be partly due to Acrisure Stadium being shared between the Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh, a setup that former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger recently said should end.

At its core, the issue comes down to money: some team owners resist spending on grass upkeep, while stadium sponsors prefer to avoid negative publicity tied to poor field conditions. But NFL owners have spared no expense to meet FIFA’s strict standards for next year’s World Cup, highlighting a frustrating double standard when it comes to player safety in their own league.

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