NFL gets thrown under the bus for slippery Super Bowl field conditions that one player called the ‘worst’ ever

After the Chiefs beat the Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII, one of the greatest speaking factors throughout postgame was how unhealthy the field conditions have been at State Farm Stadium. Following Kansas City’s win, each groups criticized the field with one player even going so far as to say that it was the “worst” field he had ever performed on. 

The truth that the field did not maintain up was a serious shock and that’s as a result of the NFL has been utilizing the similar groundskeeper since the first Super Bowl, George Toma. With such an skilled veteran operating issues, there was no motive to count on that the field was going to show into an enormous slip-and-slide on Sunday, however that’s precisely what occurred. 

If you are questioning why the field was in such unhealthy form, Oklahoma State University has a principle. 

The faculty has been creating new breeds of grass since 1986 and the NFL used one of OSU’s newer breeds, Tahoma 31, for Super Bowl LVII. The faculty was so happy with the truth that their turf was getting used that they really bragged about it in TWO completely different tweets earlier than the sport. 

Following the sport, although, the faculty took a a lot completely different tone. 

One day after Kansas City’s win, OSU launched an announcement that principally blamed the NFL for the slippery conditions at State Farm Stadium. 

“While OSU scientists developed and patented Tahoma 31, they had no role in creating or preparing the field for Super Bowl LVII,” the faculty stated in an announcement, via the Tulsa World. “Tahoma 31 was used for the base layer, but the field also was seeded with a top layer of ryegrass, which has slick leaf surfaces when damp. That and other factors may have contributed to traction issues during play.”

The faculty is basically pinning every little thing on the NFL’s groundskeeping crew and that if the grass had been used because it was supposed for use, there doubtless would not have been any points. The faculty additionally famous that there weren’t every other points with the grass this yr and that THE EAGLES really used Tahoma 31 for dwelling video games this season. 

“The Philadelphia Eagles played on Tahoma 31 at Lincoln Financial Field during the 2022 season, including the NFC Championship Game two weeks ago,” the faculty stated. “Tahoma 31 is widely used at high-profile sites across the country, including the Arkansas Razorbacks’ stadium, which was recognized as the 2022 College Football Field of the Year by the Sports Field Management Association.”

In the days main as much as the Super Bowl, Toma had stated that he thought the grass for this yr’s Super Bowl was amongst the finest ever. 

“This is a new turf,” Toma told Fox 4 in Kansas City on Feb. 7. “I believe this is the second-best turf that we’ve had in 57 Super Bowls.”

The 94-year-old additionally revealed that the NFL spent three-quarters of one million {dollars} on the turf. 

“In the first 27 Super Bowls, we didn’t spend $1,000 on the field for a game,” Toma told NPR in Kansas City. “This one here is $750,000.”

The funding undoubtedly did not repay as a result of gamers from each groups hated it, particularly Eagles move rusher Haason Reddick. 

“I’m not going to lie it was the worst field that I’ve ever played on,” Reddick stated after the sport. “It was very disappointing, it’s the NFL. You would think it would be better so we could get some better play, but it is what it is. I don’t know maybe the league will look at it and tell Arizona they got to step their stuff up. I don’t know, it’s not my decision to make, it’s not my call to make whatever it is and what it is.”

In the video beneath, you’ll be able to see a number of cases of gamers slipping on the field. 

The NFL selected Tahoma 31 as a result of the league thought it was the finest grass out there, in keeping with Nick Pappas, the NFL’s field floor director

“We believe that, right now, this is one of the strongest varieties of hybrid Bermuda grass you can get,” Pappas instructed ESPN.com in the days leading up to the game. 

Oklahoma State will surely agree that Tahoma 31 is one of the strongest varieties out there, however the faculty undoubtedly sounds lower than thrilled with how its grass was used on Super Bowl Sunday.