Sportsnaut
A new report suggests that the turf at MetLife Stadium was likely the reason why New York Giants star receiver Malik Nabers suffered a season-ending ACL tear on Sunday afternoon.
The Giants finally got a reason for celebration in Week 4. After a 0-3 start, the team made a bold QB switch in a tough matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, and rookie Jaxson Dart and his teammates were able to score an upset victory. However, a dark cloud hovers over all the positivity.
Midway through the second quarter, star pass catcher Malik Nabers tried to stop on the run and adjust to make a play on a deep ball. He ended up suffering a serious knee injury on the play. The 2024 Pro Bowler immediately grabbed his right knee and looked in serious pain on the turf. He was unable to walk off on his own power and needed to be carted away.
NFL fans know what that means, and it was seemingly confirmed when NFL Network’s Michael Baca reported yesterday that the team assumes Nabers has an ACL tear. Such injuries are very random and can result from various factors. However, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, the infamous turf at MetLife Stadium may have been the culprit.
On Sunday, Jones reported that the synthetic turf at MetLife Stadium is considered among the absolute worst in the NFL, but there is no clear reason why. Two years ago, after complaints from New York Jets and Giants players, they replaced the surface. However, the same complaints remain.
Nabers’ injury seemed to occur when he tried to stop on the turf and explode up to go after the ball, but his right leg gave out while digging into the turf. “Anecdotally, to our eyes, it certainly looks poor and players hate that turf,” Jones said in a post on Instagram.
Jones said he isn’t a doctor, and more testing and opinions on biometrics from experts are needed. But there are many around the team and the NFL who field the trash field at MetLife played a huge role in Malik Nabers’ injury on Sunday.
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