PHOENIX — The Giants and Jets will play on a new synthetic field this season at MetLife Stadium, but the co-owner of the Giants hopes that is not a permanent solution.
“I foresee a day, my hope is we can get to a day at some point in the future when we can have a grass field that we’re able to maintain with two different teams and all the other events we have,” John Mara said Tuesday at the NFL meetings. “I think we can get there at some point, Maybe it’s a hybrid product or something.”
The slit film synthetic turf currently in place at MetLife Stadium is often cited by players as one of the worst surfaces in the league.
The new field will be monofilament turf.
The Giants, during the 2022 season, brought in several samples of different surfaces for players to stand on and test before deciding on their new turf.
The list of those who were injured on the old MetLife turn included the Sterling Shepard’s season-ending ACL injury on Sept. 27 of last year in a Giants loss to the Cowboys.
In 2020, the 49ers lost Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas to torn ACLs during an early-season matchup with the Jets.
In the 2022 season opener against the Jets, Ravens corner back Kyle Fuller was lost for the year after tearing his ACL.
The Giants will also put down the new turf at their indoor practice facility.
MetLife Stadium will have to get a grass field installed when it hosts the 2026 World Cup.
“The players have been vocal and clear about this issue and it is a good step to hear them that change needs to be made,” the NFLPA said in a statement to ESPN last November it was announced MetLife Stadium would be upgrading the turf.
“The change will not come soon enough, though, for players who will be at greater risk the rest of the season. We expect that whatever surface gets installed next year will meet the highest safety and performance standards possible.”