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World Cup## George Kittle is the latest to have spoken out against MetLife Stadium moving back to turf after changing to grass for it's playing surface at the World Cup - with players voicing their displeasure
11:55 ET, 20 Jul 2026
MetLife Stadium is set to change its playing surface immediately after the World Cup in preparation for the return of the NFL season in a few months - and it's something players in the league are furious about.
The home of the New York Giants and New York Jets, MetLife Stadium is regularly voted as the players' least-liked NFL venue – and it's almost entirely to do with the turf used. Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson described the turf used at his home stadium as 'garbage', while 18 players have suffered season-ending injuries at the stadium in the last six years.
For the World Cup, MetLife had changed from turf to grass, something which was mandated by FIFA. However, this will be reversed again for the NFL.
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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle isn't a fan of the move, stating: "Grass looks great at MetLife! Can we keep it that way @NFL?? Would appreciate it thanks."
The NFLPA's executive committee, Jets defensive lineman Harrison Phillips, had said: "The players prefer to play on natural grass. We would love if we could get to that.
"There's a ton of issues with climate and how is it possible. If they're able to figure it out for other organizations and other groups playing, they probably can figure it out for us."
Meanwhile, the NFLPA itself released a statement saying: "When the World Cup ends, many of these same stadiums will go back to turf despite 92% of NFL players preferring natural grass.
"If these extensive field changes are worth the cost for a month-long tournament, why aren't they worth the cost for the NFL players who primarily compete in these stadiums?"
The NFL stated the MetLife has too many uses outside NFL games to move to natural grass.
Their statement to ESPN read: "That's a really challenging thing to do is say we're going to go from a building that produces not just great football games but also community events, the opportunity for our local fans to enjoy our facility, to have a facility to be this large scale, this big, this nice, it's hard to do that with just football games throughout the season"
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A number of players had come out in voicing their displeasure on the change back to turf, with a #WorthTheCost tag, in what appears to be a movement.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen wrote: "We know grass is possible because we've seen stadiums make the change. Players are #WorthTheCost."
While Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor posted: "Natural grass isn't out of reach. Prioritizing players shouldn't be either! We're #WorthTheCost."
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