The NFL Players Association wants more uniformity in the type of turf used for games, whether they are played at home or in other countries.
NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. said on Wednesday that the organization plans to be “assertive” about having a say in field conditions, especially as the NFL increases its international games.
Last Friday, during the opener in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers had trouble with the field at NeoQuimica Arena, which is usually used by a soccer team in Brazil’s top league.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley slipped while trying to take a handoff on Philadelphia’s first series, and the field did not improve much even after players changed to cleats with better grip.
Howell mentioned that while the NFLPA and the league worked together to improve the field, different countries have different types of grass and climates, which affected the conditions.
Howell believes that the NFLPA and the NFL need to be “more definitive” about what is needed for a safe playing surface before discussing with owners of potential international venues.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has expressed a desire for the league to play as many as 16 international games each season.
“If you’re dealing with FIFA (the international soccer governing body), there’s really not much of a negotiation about the surface for soccer players,” Howell said. “As our game expands, we’ll be just as firm about ‘These are the requirements to have our game played overseas.’”
The NFLPA also has similar concerns for domestic games. Howell said that over 90% of players prefer natural grass.
“I think the league realizes that we need to have more consistency, whether it’s synthetic or grass,” he said.
