Jerry Jones Gets Blasted For Claiming Artificial Turf Is As Safe As Natural Grass

Back in February, NFL players petitioned the league to replace all artificial turf with natural grass.

According to Jerry Jones, that would be pointless.

Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan, the Dallas Cowboys owner was asked, “Do you see a day or a way where every stadium is going to have to have natural grass based on the players’ request in the collective bargaining agreement?”

“Not at all,” Jones replied. “And not because we have the surface that we have. By our stats, our league stats don’t see issues with the type surface that we have as opposed to natural grass,” said . “We don’t see issues. No facts bear that out.”

NFL players have a far different opinion of artificial turf than Jerry Jones

Interesting that Jerry Jones would make such a statement when National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) President JC Tretter claimed in 2020 that he has data that states just the opposite.

“Based on NFL injury data collected from 2012 to 2018, not only was the contact injury rate for lower extremities higher during practices and games held on artificial turf, NFL players consistently experienced a much higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries on turf compared to natural surfaces,” Tretter wrote.

“Specifically, players have a 28% higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries when playing on artificial turf. Of those non-contact injuries, players have a 32% higher rate of non-contact knee injuries on turf and a staggering 69% higher rate of non-contact foot/ankle injuries on turf compared to grass.”

Tretter added, “This data is clear, so everyone involved with our sport should be similarly motivated to make this switch.”

In 2021, 13 of the top 16 most injured teams played on artificial turf at home.

If the players, AKA the NFL owners most valuable (and disposable) assets, are any indication, Jerry Jones is going to have a battle on his hands.

This week, Packers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell expressed his frustration with turf-related injuries affecting Green Bay.

One has to wonder, based on how he was injured, why the Dallas Cowboys would even be in the running to land Odell Beckham Jr. let alone be one of the favorites to sign him.

Many NFL fans also weren’t buying Jerry Jones’ claim about turf versus grass

“That’s cause Jerry cares about everything but winning meaningful games. He’s focused on other events for the stadium and the revenue. He could care less about the stadium actually being used for its intended purpose,” one fan tweeted.

“The players TELL you every year. You can’t trust anything Jerry says regarding player safety, frankly,” tweeted another fan.

Then again, Jerry Jones is the same guy who said in 2016 that it is “absurd” to think current data shows a clear link between CTE and football.