It was inevitable that the discussion about the playing surface at Azteca Stadium for next Monday’s game between the Chiefs and the Rams would eventually move to the players who will be on the field and we reached that step on Tuesday afternoon.
No names have been attached to the feelings, but Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that players from both teams are “seriously considering” not playing on a field that has been described as a mess. One player is quoted as saying that “it’s not fair to risk our health” by playing on a field that is in poor condition.
The safety of the players should be of paramount concern to the league under any circumstances and the prospect of seeing a top player injured because of a bad field is one that has to worry everyone making the call about what will happen with the game. As Mike Florio laid out earlier on Tuesday, however, player safety isn’t the only factor at play for the league as they consider their options.
New sod is being put down in the stadium and the league’s decision is expected to come on Tuesday.