The Dallas Cowboys play every season at MetLife Stadium, so they know how spotty the turf is at the home of the rival New York Giants.
But just in case they don’t, they have defensive tackle Solomon Thomas to remind them.
The Cowboys’ veteran D-lineman sounded off on the field quality at MetLife Stadium ahead of their road game against the New York Jets on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Thomas spent the past three seasons with the Jets and played 50 games — missing just one — in his tenure with the team. But he was injured on the field multiple times, including as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.
Solomon Thomas: ‘I Tore my ACL On That Turf’ at MetLife Stadium
Thomas blamed the turf at MetLife Stadium for costing him all but two games in 2020, since he sustained a torn ACL while with the 49ers in their 31-13 win over the Jets.
“I tore my ACL on that turf,” Thomas said. “But I also played on that turf as a home field for three years. I had to make amends with it. I had to move on. Nothing I can do about it.”
Not only did Thomas play at MetLife for the Jets, but he played well there. He had nine sacks, 83 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, plus three passes defended and one fumble recovery for New York before signing a two-year, $6 million deal with the Cowboys this off-season.
Thomas: ‘It’s Frustrating’ The NFL Still Uses Turf
Thomas acknowledged the MetLife Stadium turf may be worse than others, but he lamented the fact that most home fields around the NFL are still using artificial playing surfaces, including his current home, AT&T Stadium.
“It’s frustrating as a league that we still have turf,” Thomas said. “The best leagues in the world, the [English] Premier soccer League, their players don’t even practice on turf. You see guys league-wide getting injured on turf, and it’s frustrating.”
Seemingly every week there is a player who sustains a devastating injury while playing on artificial turf. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will miss three months due to turf toe, which he sustained at Paycor Stadium two weeks ago, and Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers sustained a torn ACL on a non-contact injury at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
“The statistics are there that it’s worse for you, and guys just feel it,” Thomas said. “Guys will tell you, whether the statistics are there or not, guys will tell you that ‘Hey, I feel worse on turf.’ Always pushing for better services for our players, hopefully one day that’ll happen.”
Even though he is advocating for more forgiving playing surfaces for himself and his peers, Thomas also knows he can’t be thinking about the playing surface while playing.
“There’s nothing you can do about it,” Thomas said. “You’re going to be more sore on turf, more susceptible to injury, especially on the lower extremities. It is what it is, and guys know. It’s not something we talk about. We just know.
“We can’t play timid on it. You have to play your game.”
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