George Kittle pleaded his grass-related case one last time before the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on U.S. soil.
The San Francisco 49ers tight end attended Sunday’s championship match between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Kittle posted a selfie showing the action on the pitch and posted it after the game with a message directed at the NFL.
“Grass still looks great!” Kittle captioned his post. “Let’s use grass instead of turf @NFL !! Please? Thanks guys!”
Grass still looks great! Let’s use grass instead of turf @NFL !! Please? Thanks guys! pic.twitter.com/1iS8Jf2zPX
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) July 19, 2026
MetLife Stadium, one of 15 NFL stadiums that use artificial turf, is one of the most infamous venues when it comes to player injuries. Fans all remember when Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles there just four plays into his New York Jets career. The Rodgers injury was the most notable in recent memory, but MetLife Stadium’s turf has been demonized by several players over the years for allegedly causing injuries to them or their teammates.
Kittle himself suffered a torn Achilles last playoffs while playing on the Philadelphia Eagles’ hybrid turf field at Lincoln Financial Field. The 49ers star has been throwing shade at the NFL since the beginning of the World Cup, which required all 104 of the tournament’s games to be played on real grass.
NFL teams have argued that turf doesn’t actually cause more injuries than regular grass. But clearly, the players who actually make the tackles, throws, and catches on the field don’t agree.
