The Chiefs won big against the Cardinals in Week 1, but Kansas City coach Andy Reid wasn’t entirely pleased in the aftermath of the game.
His frustration had nothing to do with his team’s effort. It was all about the injuries that the Chiefs picked up during the contest.
Reid felt that those injuries could have been prevented with better field maintenance on behalf of the Cardinals.
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“It was a little loose. That’s what happens sometimes when you re-sod,” Reid said of the turf, per the Associated Press. “It’s part of the [Harrison] Butker injury and the [Trent] McDuffie injury, and that’s unfortunate. The turf picked up, and I would tell you that did have something to do with it. If it didn’t, I’d tell you that, too. It’s not an excuse by any means. But you all see it when you watch the tape.”
It’s easy to understand why Reid was frustrated. Both Butker and McDuffie are key players for the Chiefs, and the team may have to replace both on a short week ahead of their “Thursday Night Football” matchup against the Chargers.
McDuffie, a first-round rookie who is Kansas City’s top cornerback, is definitely out for the game. He suffered a hamstring injury that landed him on IR.
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Meanwhile, Butker is questionable after he suffered a rolled ankle on a kickoff against the Cardinals. He missed time in the first half — which thrust emergency kicker and starting safety Justin Reid into action — but returned to kick a 54-yard field goal before halftime.
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All that said, the Cardinals don’t believe that they deserve the blame for the Chiefs’ injuries. Cardinals spokesperson Mark Dalton told Pro Football Talk in a text message that there was plenty of time between the field’s re-sod and Sunday afternoon’s action.
The entire field was replaced on Monday, August 22nd — the day after the last home preseason game vs. Baltimore — so it had it almost three full weeks before the Week 1 game vs. Kansas City. That’s more than enough time for the Tifway Bermuda 419 hybrid sod to take root, especially in 109 degrees and abundant sunshine.
Dalton also argued that the playing surface at State Farm Stadium has rarely come into question before. In fact, it has largely received positive reviews in recent seasons.
“The field at State Farm Stadium is routinely ranked among the best — if not THE best — among NFL players, including in surveys conducted by the NFLPA,” he said. “Like all fields, the surface at State Farm Stadium undergoes the NFL’s required testing and certification process both before and after games. Sunday it not only met but exceeded those standards.”
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So, it doesn’t look like there are any problems currently with Arizona’s field, at least in the eyes of the league. Perhaps that will change if more injuries occur there in the coming months.
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