Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II will be replacing the home turf this offseason following repeated complaints, after veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers voiced his opinion
11:23 ET, 08 Mar 2026
Aaron Rodgers has complained about the home playing surface in Pittsburgh
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Aaron Rodgers has complained about the home playing surface in Pittsburgh(Image: 2026 Perry Knotts Photography)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers loved playing at home last season, but admitted that the playing surface is just as bad as everyone says it is.
Rodgers has yet to confirm whether he will play in 2026, whether it's for the Steelers or for another NFL franchise. The 42-year-old led the Steelers to the playoffs last season, but complained about the playing surface at Acrisure Stadium on several occasions.
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While NFLPA report cards are no longer made public at the end of the season, the Steelers' grading was leaked, and their playing surface ranked as the worst in the NFL. Franchise owner Art Rooney II said that a new surface will be laid ahead of the 2026 season.
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In an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers spoke highly about his sole season with the Steelers. He loved his time working with Mike Tomlin, who has since been replaced by another former head coach Rodgers knows well, Mike McCarthy.
Rodgers then focused on the one negative, stating, "Just seeing the response from the fans, and how much they loved the Black and Gold. And then, Acrisure, other than the field surface itself, is a great place to play."
McAfee began laughing at Rodgers' assessment, and the quarterback added: "I mean, I’m not saying anything out of my a--. McAfee had seen the report card leaks and said, 'Everybody knows.'
Rodgers said how bad the field was at times last season
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Rodgers said how bad the field was at times last season(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
The playing surface has received a lot of attention in recent weeks, but Rodgers complained about it back in October during an early-season win over the Cleveland Browns. "I just felt like it got real beat up," Rodgers said of the field.
"By the time the third quarter rolled around, that thing was really beat up... I’m not sure if you know there was any carry there. I know the field gets a lot of play."
Rooney has said that new grass will be installed at Acrisure, matching the authentic turf used by the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the new surface is known as Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass.
The Steelers' home stadium is iconic, but has its flaws
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The Steelers' home stadium is iconic, but has its flaws
Turf is often used on golf courses and has a higher tolerance for cold-weather climates. "It's a different blend of what we have been using," Rooney II told the outlet. "They've been using it in other places and it's been working."
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Rooney refused to switch to artificial turf and is unwilling to do so unless natural grass declines in quality. "We're kind of at their mercy," Rooney said. "If something happened with the sod farms not producing enough of the good grass, we would have to consider a change."
When the new surface is installed, it remains to be seen whether Rodgers will play. The veteran quarterback isn't rushing his decision and told McAfee, "There's been no deadline that's been put in front of me.
"There's no contract offer or anything. So there's nothing that I'm having to debate between. I'm a free agent, and I'm enjoying my time with my wife and this part of the offseason. I think there are conversations to be had down the line, but right now, there haven't been any progressive conversations."