The concrete surface surrounding the perimeter of the playing field and bench areas at Edward Jones Dome became an issue during the Rams’ last two home games because Browns quarterback Josh McCown and 49ers running back Reggie Bush each slipped and fell on it at the end of plays.
Bush suffered a torn ACL, which has led to a lawsuit against the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority because they operate the stadium. It has also led to a change in the surface for Sunday’s game against the Bears.
There’s now blue rubber padding covering the concrete at the edges of the turf, which can be seen in this photo by Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The blue "carpet" is the new rubberized cover over what used to be concrete at Edward Jones Dome. pic.twitter.com/0xl2Dj1d47
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 15, 2015
It may be a while before we find out if this is a solution for four final Rams games in St. Louis or for years to come, but things should be a bit safer for players at the dome for however long the building is hosting NFL games.