James Taylor
Odell Beckham Jr has hit out at the NFL and demanded an immediate rule change after another serious injury on artificial turf.
The New York Giants edged past the Los Angeles Chargers 21-18 at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, but the win was overshadowed by a serious blow. Giants wide receiver Malick Nabers was forced off and initial reports suggest he has suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament. If confirmed, it would rule him out for the rest of the season just four games into the season.
The MetLife Stadium's artificial turf has been criticised for years, with players repeatedly suffering injuries on its surface. In 2023, the venue installed a new multi-layered fibre system called FieldTurf CORE, which was designed to improve stability.
But despite the change, injury problems have not disappeared. Artificial turf has long been criticised by NFL players, but the MetLife Stadium's has come under the most scrutiny.
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After the latest injury on Sunday, Beckham Jr took to social media to issue an appeal to the league.
On X, he wrote: "Dear NFL, I mean this with the upmost love and respect.
"We (The NFL) take all The precautions in the world with EVERYthing else when it comes to players “health” and “safety”. PLZ. PLZ. PLZ. GET RID OF THE TURF.
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"Thank You in advance. LUV".
He followed it with another post, renaming the stadium due to the number of injuries there.
He added: "Respect and u kno I loveeeee the giants, but DeathLife has taken too many talented players away from the game.
"I kno it’s not ALL the turfs fault but at least maybe it to where we’ve gotten all research done to if TURF has to stay it’s at the HIGHEST of quality possible. At least can we start the discussion."
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Beckham's words reflect a growing frustration among players.
Although it is difficult to measure how much the pitch contributes to injuries, there have been several high-profile incidents in New Jersey.
Earlier this year, the NFL Players Association released data showing injuries are more common on artificial turf than on natural grass.
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The main reason is due to the toughness of turf, which forces the body to absorb more shock, while grass provides a softer landing.
Even with the latest technology, the problem has continued.
The FieldTurf CORE was meant to reduce the number of injuries, but Nabers' potential torn ACL shows that it has not solved the issue.
And with the NFL season just four weeks old, there are concerns that Nabers will not be the last player to suffer a serious injury at the MetLife Stadium.