DeMaurice Smith, the executive director of the NFL Players’ Association, is having the union look into the certification of fields around the NFL after some elevated safety concerns following the wild card weekend. Smith joined Inside the Locker Room on ESPN Radio 980 in Washington, D.C. to discuss the issue, and as usual, Sports Radio Interviews has the transcript.
NFLPA wants league to investigate field conditions
The NFL Players’ Association wants the league to do a better job of maintaining field conditions around the league for player safety.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The crux of the issue stems from the game between the Washington Redskins and Seattle Seahawks, in which Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III went down with a knee injury. Griffin was just the highest profile player to get hurt on the day though, as other players on both teams went down with injuries on the day.
Following the game, players and coaches alike blasted the field conditions and blamed them for the multiple injuries.
Smith has decided not to pursue an official complaint with the league at this time, but he did speak to his desire to maintain a higher standard with the way the fields are presently. Smith said that it is a “workplace safety issue,” and that if the players or union weigh in, then it falls on the league to take “expend the resources to keep the workplace as safe as possible.”
He also said that price should not be a factor, saying that he wouldn’t want his son “playing on a surface that was determined to be the one that they’re gonna use simply because it was the cheapest.”
It does seem unlikely that taking extra steps on their end to ensure the NFL is doing the right thing on their end will cause any issues. It seems like a mutually beneficial move, as field conditions are often an area for concern, especially for some of the older venues in the league.
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