Only two stadiums in the entire NFL use a retractable grass field that's moved onto the field for game day. One of them is Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium and the other just happened to be the home of Sunday night's Super Bowl LVII.
Unfortunately, it rolled out to poor reviews.
But it wasn't for lack of effort or funds.
Because these types of fields are not the ideal surfaces for players, the NFL tried to get ahead of the game—literally—by investing loads of money and time into the care of the grass that eventually planted its roots at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The NFL spent two years and $800,000 growing a hybrid grass at a Scottsdale, Arizona sod farm just for this season's championship game.
Despite the time and effort, the turf just couldn't hold up on game day.
Players on both teams complained about the slick turf. They claimed it caused them to lose their footing, execution of crucial plays and yards.
You can see one such example broken down below.
The halftime show didn't help matters.
Field staff scurried to fill in holes left by Rihanna's dancers and the stage. The Athletic reported several complaints from players.
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick said:
"I'm not going to lie: It was the worst field I've ever played on."
Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata said the field was "definitely subpar."
And Kansas City's defensive end Frank Clark shared the field conditions were "kind of terrible." The only thing he could do to keep from slipping was dig his feet in the turf, essentially making the field even worse.
Social media also chimed in on the slippery situation.
While many commented on the slippery nature of the turf, it was likely necessary to over water the grass given the Arizona climate.
An underwatered and dried out field would also have been less than ideal for players, though it may have fared better.
Las Vegas better take notes ahead of hosting next year's Super Bowl.
@GregAbbott_TX/X
