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- Does MetLife Stadium have turf?
- MetLife Stadium turf details
- MetLife injury history
- MetLife Stadium size
- NFL stadiums with grass vs. turf
Artificial turf remains a point of contention among NFL players. No site has drawn more scrutiny on that matter than MetLife Stadium.
The New York Jets and New York Giants’ playing surface has left a trail of injured players in its wake. While the turf itself might not be the only cause, the fact remains: many who take the field there worry their limbs will give out.
So, what’s the deal with MetLife Stadium’s turf? And why is the Giants and Jets’ home subject to such rebuke from NFL players? Here’s what you need to know.
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Does MetLife Stadium have turf?
MetLife Stadium does, indeed, have turf. Since its opening in 2010, the venue’s playing surface has been covered in artificial turf, much to players’ chagrin.
In April 2023, the NFL Players Association released findings showing that injuries occurred more frequently on artificial turf than on grass. The logic is simple: turf offers less give than its natural counterpart. It’s a harder, tougher playing surface that forces players and their joints to absorb more of the impact on every play.
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Grass is a more forgiving canvas, by comparison. Excess force dissipates on the surface, often producing divots in response. The natural surface is preferred by players, who have watched on as dozens of players have suffered devastating injuries atop synthetic lawn.
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MetLife Stadium turf details
MetLife Stadium employs FieldTurf Core system as its playing surface of choice. The surface is not grass. But it's believed to be less harsh on limbs than its predecessor, which was the subject of multiple complaints in the past.
What kind of turf is at MetLife Stadium?
MetLife Stadium uses the FieldTurf Core system. An updated version of FieldTurf, a brand of artificial turf made from polyethylene-blend fibers clustered into a polypropylene backing, FieldTurf Core was the first multilayer dual-polymer monofilament fiber.
Its heavyweight infill design is believed to make injuries less common than with other infill weights. Installed in 2023, the surface has drawn mixed reviews. Aaron Rodgers praised the turf weeks before tearing his Achilles in his Jets debut.
“There’s obviously been a lot of conversation around grass field compared to turf field, but I feel like the other night, it’s been one of the best surfaces I’ve seen that’s artificial," Rodgers said.
Still, the masses of NFL players appear to prefer a switch to natural grass. Packers OT David Bakhtiari lashed out at the league for its use of artificial turf when Rodgers went down, while former Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. pleaded with the league to prohibit the use of artificial playing surfaces after Malik Nabers tore his ACL at MetLife Stadium.
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Is MetLife Stadium getting grass?
MetLife Stadium is getting grass — but only temporarily. The venue will use warm-season grass during the 2026 World Cup. The sod, described as the “grass for the future of FIFA” by Blair Christiansen, MetLife Stadium’s pitch manager during the 2025 Club World Cup, was considered a prerequisite for the United States to host soccer’s greatest spectacle.
“This is their careers,” Christiansen told The Athletic. “They train for decades, some of them, and for them to be able to showcase the skills they’ve developed in that time, the surface plays an integral role in that. With a higher-quality surface, you’re likely to see some high-quality football as well.”
The natural grass pitch was also used for the 2025 Club World Cup. Once the tournament concluded, the surface was returned to its typical synthetic state.
Looks nice 🧐... #SaferFields https://t.co/Vugv4teNxI
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) June 11, 2025
The Athletic's Diana Russini reported that neither New York side has any plans to rip out the MetLife Stadium turf and replace it with grass. Ownership appears to prefer the cost-cutting that turf supplies as opposed to grass, which would require more maintenance and care. More than 90 percent of players back natural grass over artificial turf, according to the NFLPA's surveys.
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MetLife injury history
More than a few players have fallen victim to the MetLife Stadium turf's cruelty in recent years. Here's an incomplete list of notable talents to season-ending injuries at the venue since 2020.
- Nick Bosa (ACL tear)
- Solomon Thomas (ACL tear)
- Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle sprain)
- Raheem Mostert (MCL tear)
- Sterling Shepard (Achilles tear)
- Sterling Shepard (ACL tear)
- Wan'Dale Robinson (ACL tear)
- Blake Martinez (Achilles tear)
- Shane Lemieux (patellar tendon tear)
- Jabrill Peppers (ACL tear)
- Kyle Fuller (ACL tear)
- Aaron Rodgers (Achilles tear)
- Al Woods (Achilles tear)
- Jaelan Phillips (Achilles tear)
- Andrew Thomas (Lisfranc injury)
- Malik Nabers (feared ACL tear)
Of course, not all of those injuries can be chalked up to artificial turf. But the number of incidents that have taken place at MetLife Stadium certainly helps explain some players' suspicions about the surface.
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MetLife Stadium size
MetLife Stadium boasts a capacity of 82,500, making it the largest NFL stadium by seating, edging out Green Bay’s Lambeau Field by about 1,000 seats.
In terms of square footage, MetLife Stadium is similarly imposing. The venue covers 2.1 million square feet and was once the league’s largest. In 2020, SoFi Stadium claimed that title, with the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers’ home spanning 3.1 million square feet.
NFL stadiums with grass vs. turf
Of the NFL's 30 pitches, 15 feature natural grass, while the other 15 use various types of turf.