FIFA made it happen for the World Cup. For weeks, several NFL stadiums that normally use artificial turf rolled out natural grass to meet the tournament’s standards. But with Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium bringing the World Cup to a close, many of those same venues are preparing to switch back. NFL players, however, are making yet another push to ensure the conversation doesn’t end with the tournament.

The hashtag #WorthTheCost has been trending on X as dozens of NFL players launched a coordinated social media campaign urging team owners to keep natural grass fields in place. Figures like Cam Heyward, Caleb Williams, Zaire Franklin, and Laremy Tunsil have all raised their voices.

“We know grass is possible because we’ve seen stadiums make the change,” Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen shared on X. “Players are #WorthTheCost.”

This comes after the NFL Players Association urged the league to stick to natural grass fields.

At FIFA’s request, all 11 NFL stadiums that hosted World Cup matches installed natural grass playing surfaces. Seven of those stadiums normally use synthetic turf for NFL games and are expected to switch back once the tournament concludes.

“The temporary installation of natural grass fields for the World Cup is a choice by certain NFL team owners to do for soccer players what they refuse to do for NFL players,” the NFLPA said in a statement at the start of the tournament. “It’s no longer a question of capability; the technology exists, the expertise exists and the resources exist to install the high-level grass fields that our players overwhelmingly prefer.”

“We have seen the meaningful investments made to meet the standard for international athletes and global events,” the NFLPA added. “NFL players — who regularly compete on these fields, help fund these stadiums and whose work makes the league what it is today — deserve the same commitment to quality grass fields.”

The union also noted that 92% of NFL players prefer natural grass, according to its player surveys.

After collecting injury records between 2013 and 2018, the NFLPA found that players sustained more leg, knee, foot, and ankle injuries when playing on artificial turf than on natural grass. The data specifically revealed that athletes suffered 28% more non-contact lower-body injuries on artificial turf. There was also a 32% increase in knee injuries and 69% more foot and ankle injuries on turf. 

However, historically, the league has been reluctant to heed the players’ demands. Last year, NFL field director Nick Pappas argued that there are different logistics behind maintaining the fields for the two sports. He said football places far greater stress on grass surfaces than soccer, making it more challenging to maintain them throughout an NFL season, and argued that the temporary grass systems used for the 2026 World Cup may not be practical over a full NFL schedule.

Meanwhile, Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, said that he doesn’t believe that it’s any safer to play on grass. He argued that turf improves the economics and that, in turn, benefits the players. AT&T Stadium was among the 11 NFL venues that temporarily switched to natural grass for the World Cup.

Players have long argued that grass better absorbs impact and allows cleats to release more naturally during sharp cuts, reducing stress on the lower body. Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles tear at MetLife Stadium in 2023, while Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers also sustained an ACL injury there last season. Although neither injury has been conclusively attributed to the playing surface, both have frequently been cited in the wider debate over artificial turf.

Here’s a look at a few players now calling on the NFL to keep grass fields.

Caleb Williams, Cam Heyward, and others line up for the grass fields 

“WHY CAN’T WE HAVE THIS TOO? #WorthTheCost,” Caleb Williams demanded through a post on X.

“If stadiums can make grass work for the World Cup, they can make it work for NFL players. We’re #WorthTheCost,” Solomon Thomas and Laremy Tunsil wrote on X.

“The cost of doing nothing is paid for by players’ bodies. Make grass mandatory. We’re #WorthTheCost,” Franklin added.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Taylor wrote, “Natural grass isn’t out of reach. Prioritizing players shouldn’t be either! We’re #WorthTheCost.” 

Former Packers tackle David Bakhtiari also joined the movement, responding to images of Gillette Stadium removing its temporary grass by writing, “Tell me you don’t care about player’s safety, without telling me you don’t care about player’s safety? @NFL.”

“We’ve made it clear that we prefer grass fields. We know it’s better on our bodies. And clearly, we know it’s possible based on everything that went into putting down grass fields for the World Cup in each stadium,” George Kittle wrote on Instagram in June. “At this point, it comes down to the NFL making it a priority and choosing to invest in us as players, because our bodies are our business, which they get to capitalize on!”

Kittle has continued to be one of the most vocal advocates for natural grass, with his comments resurfacing as players coordinated their latest #WorthTheCost campaign.

As the World Cup concludes, the NFL is facing one of its most coordinated player-led campaigns on the issue of playing surfaces in recent years. Having seen stadiums successfully install grass for FIFA’s tournament, players are now arguing that the league can no longer claim the switch isn’t possible. Their message to owners is straightforward: if natural grass can be prioritized for a global soccer event, it should also be prioritized for the athletes who play on those fields every NFL season.