NFL has lame reported excuse for Super Bowl field issues

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks with the media. Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

One unwanted subplot of Super Bowl LVII involved the quality of the turf at State Farm Stadium. While there is no conclusive answer regarding what the issue was, the NFL apparently is trying to use one excuse to downplay the issue.

Owners have asked the league about the field, and the response has been to blame players for not wearing the right shoes, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. That excuse comes despite the fact that a number of players on both teams tried different shoes during the game, and none of it seemed to make much of a difference.

Whether anyone believes the NFL’s explanation is a question of its own. Reports at the time suggested the already-slick painted turf got worse after the halftime show. The field also got scathing reviews from Chiefs and Eagles players alike.

The amount of slipping during the game was highly unusual, and players obviously noticed. The shoes almost certainly had nothing to do with any of it.