The condition of Soldier Field in Chicago created concern on Saturday, along with a complaint from NFL Players Association president JC Tretter. The turf at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas looked even worse during Sunday’s preseason opener between the Vikings and Raiders.
The grass on the playing surface along the sidelines had plenty of bare spots. It was even worse on the sidelines, with large chunks of missing grass. (The attached pregame photo of quarterback Derek Carr and family shows the condition of the grass beyond the end zone.)
Here’s what Vikings play-by-play voice Paul Allen said about the field, on Twitter: “Supposedly soccer team that plays here requested it wetter than NFL would prefer and it became moldy.”
One of the selling points of the new venue was that the field rolls out of the building, allowing for it to be protected during non-football events and otherwise kept in pristine condition. On the first game of the 2022 season, it looked nowhere close to pristine.