Insider rips MetLife's 'worst' turf after Malik Nabers' possible ACL injury

Ribin Peter

Insider rips MetLife's 'worst' turf after Malik Nabers' possible ACL injury image

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers left Sunday's game at MetLife Stadium with a knee injury that league sources fear could be a torn ACL. This has now raised fresh criticism of the field's playing surface.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport tweeted: "Giants WR Malik Nabers is believed to have torn his ACL, per me and Tom Pelissero. A crushing blow."

Soon after Nabers' injury was reported, CBS Sports' NFL insider Jonathan Jones said the synthetic turf at the shared home of the Giants and the New York Jets remains one of the most unpopular in the league.

"It is well known around the league that the stadium turf where the Jets and Giants play is among the worst in the NFL," Jones said on the network's broadcast. ... "When you see this sort of non-contact injury, when you go up for a ball and your knee is not supposed to just give out, it certainly looks poor. ... Players absolutely hate that turf."

The potential injury to Nabers appeared to occur without contact as he tried to elevate for a pass. Trainers immediately evaluated his left knee before carting him off. Nabers would undergo further testing on Monday.

MetLife Stadium replaced its turf in 2023 with a different synthetic version after previous complaints, but concerns have persisted.

"Players absolutely hate it at MetLife," Jones said. ... "This is going to be the conversation again."

Nabers is New York's leading offensive threat, and his injury only adds to the Giants' woes.

Ribin Peter

Ribin Peter is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. While he started as a soccer writer, he now covers college football and the NFL. Ribin is especially captivated by the adrenaline rush that football provides and sees every play and rivalry through an unbiased lens.