Jets' Aaron Rodgers, others react to new MetLife Stadium turf

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers enjoys the new playing surface found at MetLife Stadium, home of the Jets and New York Giants. 

"I’m a fan of grass, for sure. Got to admit that," Rodgers recently explained, per Jordan Raanan and Rich Cimini of ESPN. "I like wearing seven studs and playing on grass, but I feel like the field -- it’s supposedly the newest and the greatest. There’s obviously been a lot of conversation around grass field compared to turf field, but I feel like the other night, it’s been one of the best surfaces I’ve seen that’s artificial." 

NFL players publicly and repeatedly complained about the old MetLife Stadium turf over at least the past several years. Last fall, former Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suggested that the venue's playing surface was to blame for current Big Blue receiver Sterling Shepard suffering a non-contact torn ACL in his left knee during a September game against the Dallas Cowboys. 

It was learned this past March that MetLife Stadium would get a new synthetic turf ahead of the upcoming campaign. According to the ESPN piece, the FieldTurf Core system now at MetLife Stadium is similar to what is found at AT&T Stadium, home of the Cowboys.

"It’s excellent," Giants running back Matt Breida said about the playing surface. "Feels a lot more like grass. So, not as sticky. It’s similar to [Dallas]. It’s more of that artificial grass that actually feels like real grass and your foot doesn’t get stuck. It gives. That’s what you want. It helps against injuries."

Back in June, Pro Football Talk shared how former NFL receiver Julian Edelman blasted league owners for not spending the extra money needed to properly maintain grass fields compared to how much it costs to install turf playing surfaces. 

As for the previously mentioned Shepard, he noted that "turf is turf to me" but also said what's at MetLife Stadium today is "a little better" than what he experienced as recently as September 2022. 

The real tests will come this fall when MetLife Stadium routinely hosts Giants and Jets home games.