Giants, Jets to have new synthetic field at MetLife Stadium

It appears a much-debated change is coming to MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Giants and New York Jets, ahead of the 2023 NFL season. 

Per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post and Bob Brookover of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Giants co-owner John Mara told reporters at the annual league meetings that MetLife Stadium is getting new synthetic turf. 

"We had a couple samples out (late in the season)," Mara explained. "We had the players walk on it. We met with the players and we finally agreed on a monofilament product. That will go in this year and it will go into the practice facility as well."

Back in September 2020, the San Francisco 49ers complained about the MetLife Stadium playing surface after multiple players experienced injuries during a game against the Jets. As shared by Jamison Hensley of ESPN, the torn ACL Baltimore Ravens cornerback Kyle Fuller suffered this past September was blamed on the MetLife Stadium turf. Later that month, Odell Beckham Jr. blasted the venue's surface after Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard went down with a non-contact torn ACL. 

Meanwhile, Mara mentioned that MetLife Stadium must have a grass field installed by the summer of 2026 when it is scheduled to host FIFA World Cup matches. 

"I foresee a day, my hope is we can get to a day at some point in the future when we can have a grass field that we’re able to maintain with two different teams and all the other events we have," Mara added during his comments. "I think we can get there at some point. Maybe it’s a hybrid product or something."

On Wednesday morning, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported that a source told him "the relevant health and safety presentation at the annual meetings in Arizona glossed over the issues of actual grass over dirt versus plastic over cushioning over concrete" as it pertains to playing surfaces. A source also told Florio that "the NFL wants to change some of the fundamental rules of football because the NFL is unwilling to change the playing surfaces." 

Back in February, the field conditions at State Farm Stadium during Super Bowl LVII went viral for reasons the league would rather forget.