The turf conditions at Soldier Field were a significant focus of the preseason. The good news is that those issues appear to be rectified. The bad news is that a major new issue appears to have arisen.
While the home of the Chicago Bears got new turf, the drainage of the field appears to be a huge issue. This was evident before the game as the San Francisco 49ers were going through warm-ups on a totally waterlogged field.
Take a look at 49ers warmups— pic.twitter.com/nRiznr9z4u
— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) September 11, 2022
I’m not sure we’ll see plenty completions today but here is one by Trey Lance pic.twitter.com/XtiBr6Q8Q2
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) September 11, 2022
Things did not get better once the game started. Even in the first quarter, Deebo Samuel was slip-sliding all over the place.
Looks wild out on Soldier Field 😳
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/RIgOHZ9PHN
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 11, 2022
Rain continued throughout the game and got particularly heavy in the fourth quarter. By that point, both teams were essentially playing in a pond. The scenes were hard to believe.
I mean look at Soldier Field right now 🌊 https://t.co/spWrUGMGrI
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) September 11, 2022
There was so much water on the field that it essentially washed away the paint for the yard lines. The FOX broadcast had to superimpose black lines on the screen to ensure that anyone could tell where the action was taking place.
https://twitter.com/BradEditsThings/status/1569054941196722176
No wonder the Bears took this bizarre penalty earlier in the game. That’s illegal, but you can certainly understand the effort.
This situation is getting embarrassing for the Bears, just as it was in the preseason. Teams are not going to want to play there with the stadium in the state that it is, and criticism will only mount as things continue.
