The Falcons will be playing on a new surface when they play their first home game of the 2019 season.
Tim Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that new turf has been installed at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The plan to replace the turf was announced after Super Bowl LII in February and was the biggest item on a list of renovations to the stadium planned for this offseason.
The new surface is a FieldTurf product that the company says is “designed to deliver a more realistic, textured, grass-like shape with optimal durability and resiliency.”
The MLS’ Atlanta United practiced on the new turf for the first time on Wednesday and the plan is to replace the turf every two years due to the amount of use it will get from both teams. The Lions also replaced the turf at Ford Field recently and the Vikings are expected to do the same at U.S. Bank Stadium before the 2019 season gets underway.