The timing couldn’t be more challenging for the Cincinnati Bengals, as their new playing surface, the FieldTurf CORE system, may have to be removed sooner than expected. The team made the switch from natural grass to artificial turf back in 2004, trying out various versions over the last two decades. This year’s field replacement, the first since 2018, was chosen in response to the high number of injuries seen on the older FieldTurf.
While the new playing surface looks great, not everyone is thrilled about the switch to artificial turf. Many players in the NFL have expressed a preference for natural grass. Even Cincinnati Reds medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek supports the change, citing a study that revealed a high percentage of ACL tears occurred on field turf.
“I think it’s a strong statement. I support it 100%,” said Dr. Kremchek. “We did an internal study of all of our athletes that tore their ACLs, and I think it was 90% that tore their ACLs on field turf.”
The potential law requiring the Bengals to remove their new field is causing frustration for the team. If passed, they will face a second field replacement within a year. It’s likely that if they had known about this possibility, they would have reconsidered the timing of the field replacement or explored natural grass options further.
For now, the Bengals will have to wait for the outcome of the law and prepare for the possibility of yet another field replacement. Tough timing, indeed.