In a recent appearance on Pro Football Talk, David Bakhtiari, former teammate of Aaron Rodgers, didn’t hold back when addressing New York Jets owner Woody Johnson’s decision to retain turf fields at their stadium.
Bakhtiari’s comments come on the heels of Rodgers’ unfortunate injury in his debut with the Jets against the Buffalo Bills.
The game that saw the star quarterback tear his left Achilles tendon, prematurely ending his season.
During a conversation with host Mike Florido, Bakhtiari voiced his concerns about the way some NFL owners view their players, likening them to mere cogs in a massive football machine rather than recognizing their humanity.
He expressed a sentiment shared by many players that they are often treated as interchangeable parts, coming and going as the owners see fit, with the team as the sole enduring entity.
Bakhtiari didn’t stop there; he went on to place blame on the Jets’ stadium scheduling, pointing out the stadium’s busy calendar filled with concerts and events featuring the likes of Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen.
“When you sell out for Taylor Swift and you sell out for Bruce Springsteen and you got this show and that show, maybe you make enough money that you’re willing to say, ‘well, maybe Aaron Rodgers wouldn’t have torn his Achilles tendon if we just had grass…'”
He suggested that the pursuit of additional revenue streams might be compromising player safety, insinuating that Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles tendon injury might have been avoided if the team had opted for natural grass instead of turf.
As per the latest reports, NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell has taken a bold stance, urging the NFL to make a crucial change by mandating natural grass fields in all of its stadiums.
Howell believes that this change is not only the easiest decision the NFL can make but also a vital one for the safety and well-being of the players.
“Moving all stadium fields to high-quality natural grass surfaces is the easiest decision the NFL can make,” Howell said in the statement. The players overwhelmingly prefer it and the data is clear that grass is simply safer than artificial turf. It is an issue that has been near the top of the players’ list during my team visits and one I have raised with the NFL.”
The call for natural grass fields in NFL stadiums is not new, but it has gained renewed attention following the injury to Rodgers.
