The Steelers just pulled off a wild comeback, climbing out of a 16-3 hole to beat the Buccaneers 26-19 in overtime on Sunday. But for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, getting the win wasn’t the only victory. The 42-year-old signal-caller made it clear he was thankful to just get out of Raymond James Stadium unscathed after the game, absolutely blasting the playing surface as “one of the worst in the league.”
Rodgers Declares Tampa’s Field ‘Not Very Safe’
Rodgers didn’t mince words after the hard-fought win, sending a crystal-clear message to the Buccaneers about their field conditions in what he says will be his last game ever played there. “It’s got to be one of the worst surfaces in the league,” Rodgers stated unequivocally. He wasn’t just complaining about a bad bounce, either. Rodgers brought it back to what really matters: player safety. “We’re talking about player safety,” he said. “I’m very thankful not to get hurt.” He then doubled down, adding, “I don’t think it’s very safe out there.” What’s wild is that the field at Raymond James Stadium is actually grass, even though many players, including Rodgers, often use “turf” to describe any playing surface. But grass or not, his message was loud and clear: it’s dangerous.
A History of Injuries On This ‘Turf’
This isn’t just Rodgers venting after a tough game. He’s got history with this particular playing surface. The veteran quarterback revealed he’s been hurt twice on that very field, explicitly saying, “I’ve gotten hurt twice on this field, in my opinion, because of the turf.” One of those injuries was a calf issue he played through way back in 2014. For a 42-year-old quarterback still slinging it, avoiding unnecessary injuries from poor field conditions is paramount. You can bet his comments are going to spark a conversation about player welfare across the league.
Rodgers and the Steelers will try their luck on a brand new playing surface next Sunday when they head overseas to Stade de France in Paris. They’ll face the Saints there, and hopefully, he won’t be talking about the field conditions after that one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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