The grass at Soldier Field is facing some scrutiny this morning ahead of the Bengals-Bears preseason game that is scheduled to kick off at noon local time.
Bears General Manager Ryan Poles and assistant GM Ian Cunningham have been on the field before the game, looking at the turf and inspecting different areas in what is more than a standard pregame routine, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Biggs reports that the field is “not in tip-top shape.”
Kaitlin Sharkey of WGN posted pictures of the grass, which appears to have been re-sodded since a Metallica concert at Soldier Field last week.
There has been some light rain in Chicago this morning, and more could be coming during the game.
Although players generally prefer grass to artificial turf, the grass often gets worse after concerts and other major events at NFL stadiums. The Bears have spent recent years attempting to work out a deal for a new stadium that would allow them to leave Soldier Field, but so far they have been unable to generate support to get taxpayer money for a new stadium, and unwilling to pay all the costs of a new stadium themselves.