In 2018, Reggie Bush won a lawsuit against the Rams over an injury he suffered on a concrete surface beyond the sideline after he ran out of bounds. That was an unusual case, but Bush says NFL players are playing on unsafe surfaces every Sunday — and they need to fight back against it.
Bush said in an interview with GQ that grass is safer than artificial surfaces, and grass ought to be the only surface NFL games are played on.
“One thing I think they need to get rid of that’s still out there and is still an issue is field turf,” Bush said. “When we look at the studies and the correlation between field turf and ACLs, PCLs, meniscuses, just about all leg injuries, a lot of it is traced back to the surface that you play on. They’re playing on one of the most dangerous surfaces. We don’t see soccer being played on field turf! In Europe, they would never allow that. Right? For some reason here—especially the NFL, which is the most dangerous sport—you’re playing on the most dangerous surface. The reason why it’s dangerous is because athletes are now bigger, stronger, faster. It continues to evolve. When you’re that strong and that fast, something’s going to give. You plant your foot into that turf and what happens is turf will grab. Grass gives.”
According to Bush, the NFL’s owners will always prioritize cheaper surfaces over safer surfaces.
“Unfortunately, NFL owners still believe that turf is the cheapest, most cost-efficient way in a league that annualizes billions every year,” Bush said. “It’s unfortunate. It will continue until the players decide to stand up and say, ‘Listen, we don’t want to play on turf anymore.’ The thing is, all players hate it.”
Bush believes the NFL players’ union needs to make playing surfaces a top priority in its negotiations with the owners.
“Unfortunately, that is the only way they will be able to have leverage in their negotiations with the Players’ Association versus the NFL and their collective bargaining agreements,” Bush said.
The NFLPA has said that its own surveys show more than 90 percent of players prefer playing on grass.
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