The Athletic is providing live coverage as the Pittsburgh Steelers face off against the Cincinnati Bengals in “Thursday Night Football.” As both teams prepare for the game, a significant issue has arisen regarding the field conditions at Acrisure Stadium, prompting the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) to reach out to the NFL. According to a source from the NFLPA, players expressed their “outrage” concerning the playing surface following multiple complaints from Steelers and Cleveland Browns players.
The NFLPA emphasized their commitment to addressing the concerns about field conditions to ensure player safety moving forward. The Steelers have been particularly vocal about the state of the turf, especially after their recent victory over the Browns, where the conditions were described as severely lacking. Steelers defensive lineman and NFLPA representative Cameron Heyward shared his frustrations this week, highlighting the unfortunate knee injury suffered by special teams captain Miles Killebrew during the game, which is anticipated to be season-ending.
In addition to Heyward, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers criticized the field, calling it “borderline unplayable.” This sentiment was echoed after kicker Chris Boswell experienced difficulty when his plant foot got caught in the turf while attempting a long field goal. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged the poor state of the field, but conveyed that measures will be taken to improve the playing conditions, as the turf is scheduled for replacement soon after the recent game.
Acrisure Stadium, which opened in 2001, has been jointly utilized by the Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh, and field issues have been a recurring topic, particularly during weeks with limited time for maintenance. Team representatives confirmed that the grounds crew routinely replaces the sod several times each season, with plans to do so again shortly after the Steelers and Browns game.
As the Steelers prepare to take the field against the Bengals, they also have a busy schedule ahead, including their next match on home turf against the Green Bay Packers after facing the University of Pittsburgh on the road. The hope is that the forthcoming changes to the field will enhance player safety and performance for future games.