Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers Speaks out on Acrisure Stadium Grass After Killebrew Injury
The Pittsburgh Steelers have experienced problems with the grass at Acrisure Stadium in the past. Issues arose again during Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers may have summarized it best, calling the field conditions “borderline unplayable.”
Rodgers also addressed how the field may have led to an injury to Steelers safety Miles Killebrew.
“By the time the third quarter rolled around, that thing was really beat up, so I feel bad about what happened to Miles [Killebrew],” Rodgers told reporters. “I’m not sure if, you know, there was any carry there. I know the field gets a lot of play.”
Sunday was only Pittsburgh’s second game at Acrisure Stadium during the 2025 NFL regular season. But the Steelers also had a home preseason contest in August. Furthermore, the Pitt Panthers football team has played four contests on the field.
As a result, the grass between the hashes Sunday was very chewed up by the end of the Steelers-Browns clash.
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Players have debated for decades whether grass or turf is a better playing surface. It’s probably safe to say most players prefer grass. But it seems like on an annual basis, the Steelers showcase at their home stadium why grass can be an issue in the NFL.
Bad grass can lead to injuries such as it potentially did with Killebrew on Sunday. It can also have a negative impact on performance because of the possibility to slip.
That happened on Sunday too. Kicker Chris Boswell missed his final attempt of the afternoon because he didn’t get good footing and slipped.
It would help Acrisure’s grass if Pitt didn’t play its home games at the stadium. But that’s a discussion for another day.
The fact the grass is so torn up already is not a good sign. Typically, Acrisure Stadium’s grass gets really bad in November when high school football playoff games begin occurring on the field.
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The grass at Acrisure will be a storyline going forward. The CBS Sports broadcasters from Sunday’s game said the Steelers were planning to re-sod the field after Sunday.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported that was already happening Sunday evening.
The re-sodding process is already underway at Acrisure Stadium
Rodgers said the field conditions was reminiscent of Lambeau Field at Green Bay. But Rodgers explained the Packers no longer have major grass issues.
“It reminds me a little bit of the field in Green Bay in the early years, but not until, like, November or early December where it would get kind of torn up a little bit,” Rodger said. “Then they went out and found an incredible field maintenance guy that would come over and help our guys out, and the field in Green Bay is absolutely immaculate.
“But the field today got pretty torn up.”
Again, the Steelers have experienced grass issues at Acrisure Stadium really since it opened in 2001. Quite frankly, even with Pitt playing their home games on the field, it’s an unacceptable issue in today’s NFL.
Quality of play suffers, but it’s also a safety issue.
Maybe Acrisure Stadium should receive new grass more often? Rodgers also proposed another potential solution.
“I don’t know why anybody wouldn’t wear a seven-studs cleats,” Rodgers added. “Some guys are opposed to that, and they just want to wear moldeds.”
Hopefully the field conditions will be better in the Steelers’ next home game. That will occur against the Packers on October 26.
Matt Forte Thinks Bears Are Holding One Of Their Players Back
The Chicago Bears made it to the bye week without letting the season spiral out of control. It came close. Starting 0-2 while including a 4th quarter collapse and a 52-21 blowout loss would’ve done it to other teams. Yet head coach Ben Johnson managed to rally the troops and deliver two scrappy wins. He knew going into the break that he and his coaching staff must prioritize finding ways to shore up their areas of weakness. One of the most obvious is the running game, which currently ranks second-worst in the NFL. Former Bears legend Matt Forte has some thoughts about that.
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He understands why Johnson has stuck with D’Andre Swift to this point. The veteran can be so dangerous due to his blazing speed. All you need is one well-blocked play, and he can house it. Unfortunately, his mediocre vision and patience often lead to missed opportunities. Forte believes the Bears might have something with rookie Kyle Monangai, who has flashed in his limited opportunities this season. He told CHGO that he hopes the Bears give him more.
Matt Forte understands the position better than most.
If he says there are limitations to what Swift can offer as the primary back, it might be wise to take his advice. Don’t be fooled by Monangai’s 3.3 yards per carry. That is mostly because of an eight-yard loss he had against Dallas, where he broke four tackles before finally going down. In truth, he has averaged over four yards per carry this season. His strength, contact balance, and vision are big positives, carrying over from what you saw at Rutgers. The likeliest explanation for his lack of chances is his speed. He’s not fast, and Coach Johnson typically prefers backs who have juice.
Still, there has to be a point where the Bears do something. Their current approach hasn’t worked. Matt Forte can see that. Fans can see that. If Swift can’t get things going, maybe Monangai can. Some guys just bring a steady presence to the ground game, even if they lack the home run swing. The 7th round pick has that feel.
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