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Giants players campaign for change after latest stadium injury
General view of the National Football League logo on footballs prior to the game between the New York Jets and the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Giants players campaign for change after latest brutal MetLife Stadium injury

By Zac Wassink  |  Last updated Oct 3, 2025 11:27 AM ET

Players around the NFL criticizing the MetLife Stadium turf became a yearly tradition long before New York Giants star wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered a season-ending torn ACL in the club's home win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 28.

Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com recently spoke with Giants players who campaigned for the club and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson to consider going to natural grass for MetLife sooner rather than later. 

Football "should be played on grass"

According to Slater, "Giants players made it clear this week that they prefer grass" over the FieldTurf Core surface the Giants and Jets installed in 2023. 

"I feel like football is a sport that should be played on grass," Giants running back Dante Miller told Slater. "At the end of the day, as players, at the moment it’s really not our decision. It’s more of an upper-room decision. But I’m pretty sure most players would prefer to play on grass. If there are more injuries that seemingly occur on turf than grass, why not try [grass]?"

Miller was referencing the handful of players who have gone down to non-contact injuries at MetLife Stadium since the start of the 2020 season: 

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported on Sept. 29 that NFL Players Association interim executive director David White "had a pre-planned visit to the Giants" this week, during which White met with players and team co-owner John Mara. One of the issues discussed was the MetLife Stadium turf. 

MetLife will feature grass for 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, but no change is expected at the venue regarding NFL games that will be played from now through January. 

How is grass different than turf?

"I think grass is better," Giants running back Tyrone Tracy said. "Obviously, a lot of players like grass better. It’s more giving. If I cut on turf, my foot gets stuck. On grass, it’ll give. So instead of my foot getting caught in the turf, I’ll just slip."

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted, NFL owners prefer installing cheaper playing surfaces so they won't have to pay to maintain all-grass fields throughout seasons. Those same owners lose valuable assets, such as Nabers, due to long-term injuries linked with turf. 

"Maybe they’ll look into it," Miller added about the Giants and Jets possibly switching to grass at MetLife. "I don’t know. I don’t know how seriously they’ll take it."

This coming Sunday, MetLife Stadium will host a matchup between the 0-4 Jets and 1-2-1 Dallas Cowboys.

Zac Wassink
Twitter/X Muck Rack

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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