The FIFA World Cup has only added fire to the turf wars in the National Football League. And Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones might become the latest man to field shots for choosing artificial turf over natural grass.

Back in April, when asked about a hypothetical situation where his players ask him to keep the natural grass he installed at AT&T Stadium for the World Cup, his answer was a resounding “No.” The 83-year-old then explained why the turf is actually good for his team.

“We have more flexibility with the way we handle our surface at the stadium,” Jones said. “We have no belief that it’s any safer to play on grass. The turf, actually like many things, improves the economics of being able to play this game, and our players are the biggest benefactor of all. They get the best benefit of when we do good things financially; the players benefit. So I’m working for you, baby, if you’re a player.”

But cut to July, and the debate has shifted. While a majority of the owners still follow Jerry’s stance on the turf war, Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis has now gone against the flow.

“I just always felt that football should be played on grass,” Davis told L.A. Times’ A.J. Perez. “That’s for safety purposes, No. 1. I want it to look like a game was played even if it’s an indoor field. You see grass stains and everything else. I wasn’t going to a stadium without it being grass once I knew that capability was there. Obviously, it added a lot of cost, but it’s worth it.”

Allegiant Stadium (Raiders’ home ground) already has a natural Bermuda grass field that can be rolled in and out of the stadium for maintenance. While installing natural grass is cheaper than artificial turf, maintenance is much more expensive in comparison. But Davis doesn’t care, and he has finally spoken up about it.

Right now, the league is actually divided evenly in terms of turf and grass. 16 franchises already play on grass, with the other 16 choosing artificial turf. Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, has already removed the natural grass he’d installed at Gillette Stadium for the World Cup, and the fanbase is calling him out on it. But after Davis shared his stance, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton also chimed in with a hopeful take.

“Our game is a little different,” Payton exclusively told SportsBoom.com’s Jason La Canfora. “When you’re playing in the trenches on that surface, you know, the type of football shows we wear are different. … But eventually I think you’re going to see grass in more stadiums where it’s possible.”

While the coaches and ownership are finally beginning to speak up against artificial turf, Jerry Jones’ stance on this debate loses further ground because of his players, the same group who Jones said “benefit” from the turf.

Back in June, during the minicamps, the Cowboys were asked about their stance on the turf vs. grass debate. Safety Julius Wood told reporters, “Football is meant to be played on grass,” and even added that the artificial turf taxes the players.

“Guys be grunting if we play indoors because of the turf,” Wood said. “Versus outside, everybody is just ready to play.”

A 2026 NFLPA survey involving 1,700 players has indicated that 92% of players favored playing on grass surfaces. Stars like 49ers tight end George Kittle have even called out the league directly, demanding the switch to natural turf, and making the argument: “Our bodies are our business, which they get to capitalize on!”

Jerry Jones’ economic argument doesn’t hold up when the men he claims to be working for disagree. He says players benefit financially from the turf, but players around the league – as well as ownership now – have said they prefer the grass, even if it costs more. The FIFA World Cup has made that preference impossible to ignore, and Jones might have to make some changes if the debate keeps stacking up against the artificial turf.