For decades, NFL players have been asking the officials to switch to grass playing surfaces instead of artificial turf. The debate became a lot louder in the offseason after multiple stadiums decided to use grass to host FIFA World Cup 2026, and reverted to artificial turf when training camp began. The connection between turf and the risk to player safety continues to be a conversation-worthy topic even today.

Now, Matthew Stafford’s wife, Kelly Stafford, has raised her voice with a plea to bring grass fields to NFL stadiums and ditch the turf. 

“GET RID OF TURF. PLEASE,” Kelly wrote in her Instagram Story. “Will it fix everything? No. Will it eliminate injuries? Absolutely not. But my goodness, wouldn’t it be a step in the right direction? 

“You want your “stars” to last in this league? The guys who bring in the viewers, fill the stadiums, sell the jerseys and make the league billions? Then why aren’t we doing EVERYTHING we can to protect them?

“… You have the money. You have the resources. You have the ability to lead the way. No, grass isn’t going to solve every problem. But doing nothing because we can’t fix everything? That’s not good enough.”

Right now, 16 of 30 NFL stadiums use natural grass surfaces. The main argument for artificial turf is the budget and the ease of managing it, compared to natural grass, which goes through wear and tear. Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium field had some significant damage last year and was also rated an F by players.

Matthew Stafford himself is a staunch supporter of playing on a grass field.

“There are teams that are gonna host World Cup games, soccer games, and they refuse to play on turf,” Stafford said on SiriusXM’s Let’s Go! podcast last year. “They lay grass down for those guys. I wanna play on grass every chance I get. I’m an old man. I know how I feel after I play on grass versus how I feel when I play on AstroTurf. It’s night and day. I think, not only for the lower leg injuries, the stuff that’s happened at MetLife, but even for just slamming shoulders, slamming your head into it, whatever it is.

“Grass to me is a must. I wish we would get it done. Hopefully when I’m done playing, some of these younger guys will get to play on grass for the rest of their career.”

Kelly further argued that turf is often associated with lower body injuries, including injuries to the knees, ankles, and ligaments. But her primary concern laid elsewhere. 

“But what really gets me is the HEAD,” Kelly wrote. “Listen, I know what sport my husband plays. I know what these men signed up for. Football is physical. It’s violent. Heads are going to collide. Bodies are going to hit the ground. That part of the game isn’t going away…”

Back in January 2024, during a game against the Detroit Lions, Stafford took a hit and landed hard enough for his head to bounce off the ground. He had hurt his ribs in that play too. Luckily, Stafford was cleared by the medical tent, and he did not suffer a concussion. 

Countless player claims about the risk of injuries on turf have boosted the NFLPA’s arguments. According to the association’s data between 2012 and 2018, there’s at least a 69% higher rate of non-contact ankle or foot injuries on turf compared to grass. But NFL field director Nick Pappas claimed that the injury rate was identical on both surfaces. 

Kelly’s fiery plea exposes the glaring hypocrisy of NFL owners who installed natural grass for the 2026 World Cup only to chuck it out before training camp. It’s not like the move is impossible, and yet, despite plenty of complaints, the NFL continues to ignore the issue.