The New York Giants and Jets play in one of the NFL’s more high-end stadiums.
After all, MetLife Stadium only opened in 2010 and cost $1.6 billion to build. That’s $1.9 billion based on 2020’s currency values. The stadium is set to host prestigious events well into the future such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final. With that being said, Giants safety Logan Ryan still has a problem with it: the turf.
The turf at MetLife Stadium became the subject of criticism last season after a string of injuries that affected both the home and visiting teams, but the turf is back in the news this year after the Giants have had it especially bad injury-wise.
Logan Ryan points out turf as injury factor
“We’ve really got to talk about these turf fields, man. It’s just not best for a player’s safety,” Ryan said to reporters on Thursday. “It’s taking guys earnings away, their earning ability away, when you miss a season because your ankle can’t get out of the turf or your knee can’t get out of the turf.”
The subject came up when Ryan was asked about his injured teammate, Jabrill Peppers. Peppers is out for the season after suffering a ruptured ACL and high ankle sprain while playing on that very turf as the Giants took on Carolina at home.
He’s not the only Giants player to go down in similar fashion this year. Blake Martinez suffered a torn ACL against the Falcons. Just like Peppers’ injury, it happened on the MetLife Stadium turf.
With that being said, it’s uncertain if anything will change. It’s not the first time the issue has come up, but it’s never resulted in progress towards getting a grass field at MetLife Stadium.
Maybe this season, as the Giants suffer from an abnormal amount of injuries, someone involved in management will take note of what Logan Ryan said.