Over the past two months, the biggest story coming out of Gillette Stadium has centered on the World Cup matches held there and Patriots owner Robert Kraft's approval to switch from artificial turf on the field to real grass, a move players have strong opinions about.
It prompted a lot of conversation from New England players, with several making it clear they prefer playing on natural grass for several reasons, most notably the statistics that back up its benefits in preventing injuries, and now that FIFA is officially over, plenty of players around the league are making their opinions heard, too.
Because the worldwide event was held in the United States this year, NFL stadiums hosted the games, meaning almost all switched from turf to grass.
Seeing how well that worked out for the soccer players led many in the NFL to join together in another plea to team owners to make the switch official, giving Kraft a chance to set a trend and prove he takes what Patriots players say seriously.
The NFLPA has gotten involved, too, and this presents a massive opportunity for someone like Kraft, and there's no reason he should ignore it.
A high demand for a massive NFL stadium change presents a big opportunity for Robert Kraft to jump on
The uptick in conversation around field conditions in the NFL proves just how important this is to players and why team owners should take that seriously.
Kraft has been one of the more recognized owners in the league, and while he's made massive improvements for the Patriots, such as buying a team plane to travel with on away games and a new training facility near the stadium, his feedback from players hasn't been great in recent years.
In fact, they have made it clear in their NFLPA report cards that there are issues Kraft can easily address, which he has in some capacity, but the field is something that is constantly ignored. Now that it's a hot topic, he has another chance to make things right and show the rest of the league that he listens to his players.
Clearly, based on what we're hearing from dozens of players right now, they don't feel seen or heard by the higher-ups, and that's not a good precedent for any owner to set, especially when something as serious as increased injuries is part of the debate.
Given that the Patriots play on a field twice a season that is widely known for causing many season-ending injuries (the Meadowlands), it should be something Kraft takes far more seriously and implement the change as soon as possible, even if that means it won't go into effect until next season.
At the very least, he should let it be known that he hears their concerns and is considering the change, which could have a ripple effect across the league. Because he isn't viewed all that favorably by his peers due to the scandals the Patriots have been involved in since he bought the team, being the first to make this change could shift the opinions of many, especially within the team, and that should be enough to do it.
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