The New York Giants and New York Jets have made the decision to replace what is sometimes referred to as one the worst fields in the NFL at MetLife Stadium, the teams' shared home.
“The Giants and MetLife are in the process of getting things done for next year,” safety Julian Love said earlier this month. “That turf will be changed. The stats have shown that we are on one of the worst fields in the league.”
MetLife Stadium confirmed the pending turf change to USA Today, noting that the new field would still be turf and not natural grass.
“We evaluate our field each season and historically have replaced our playing surface every 3-4 years,” MetLife Stadium said in a statement to ESPN. “We have made the decision to replace the field in 2023 and are currently reviewing proposals from multiple vendors for a new synthetic surface.”
Giants owner John Mara said any final decision will need to take into account input from his players.
“The next field in the stadium is the subject of ongoing discussion between the Jets, the stadium and us,” a spokesman told the New York Daily News on Mara’s behalf. “John has heard from the players and other experts about playing surfaces as part of his roles on the player safety and health committee, competition committee and management council.
“He expects to have conversations with our players as we move along in the process of selecting a new field.”
According to USA Today, the Giants and Jets are consistently among the most injured teams, dating back to 2010 when they moved from Giants Stadium to MetLife.
“It is an issue we continue to discuss and review with the GM, head coach and medical, which includes athletic training, strength and conditioning, and sports science,” Mara said through a spokesman.
