J.C. Jackson damage a brutal reminder that turf is dangerous for NFL

The NFL performs a brutal recreation. Contact-based accidents are dangerous, however non-contact accidents are arguably much more unlucky. A push for grass may be wanted.

NFL cornerback J.C. Jackson was down on the bottom for a number of minutes after contesting a Seattle Seahawks Marquise Goodwin landing within the Los Angeles Chargers matchup in opposition to Seattle in Week 7. Although the extent of his damage is unknown simply but, he left on a cart with an air solid round his leg. It doesn’t look good.

The NFL presents loads of danger for its gamers. Primarily, issues like concussions, neck accidents, and contact-based accidents take the stage when the NFL considers the way it can enhance the well being and security of its gamers. Turf seldom enters that dialog.

Maybe, although, it’s time to open up a severe dialogue in regards to the dangers that artificial grass, or turf, presents for the NFL and its gamers.

We don’t know precisely what led to J.C. Jackson’s damage on Sunday and the way a lot turf contributed, nevertheless it’s opening up some anti-turf dialogue:

Jackson, earlier than this season (his first with the Chargers) performed most of his video games at Gillette Stadium as a Patriot. That discipline is pure grass.

Turf has been confirmed to be tough on the physique and dangerous for NFL gamers

Turf is inferior to pure grass for loads of causes. Firstly, a number of the plastic pellets used on turf pose serious health risks and have been thought to be carcinogenic. Although uncommon, the pellets are sufficiently small that they might be by accident ingested when a participant is tackled to the bottom violently.

Secondly and extra instantly dangerous, grass has extra pure give than turf and due to this fact, lends itself as a safer choice from an damage standpoint. When gamers land, grass provides extra of a cushion. That feels higher within the second, but additionally results in much less cumulative put on and tear on joints and ligaments.

There’s additionally a rising dialogue about how turf could cause concussions. If something will get the NFL’s consideration on the turf debate, it’s more likely to be this given the league’s prioritization of concussion security over the past handful of years over non-contact accidents. There haven’t been sufficient research to actually definitively show the influence of turf versus grass, however one recent study found turf to be far more likely to produce concussions.

Clearly, you hate to see the J.C. Jackson damage and surprise if pure grass might have prevented it. It’s troublesome — or not possible, barring some form of ingenious invention or innovation — in some stadiums to develop pure grass. However newer stadiums, like SoFi, have little excuse to not try to discover a approach to do it, contemplating locations like State Farm Stadium in Arizona and Allegiant Stadium, each indoors, have discovered a approach to do it with sliding grass fields that transfer from outdoors to inside.

Turf stinks. You’re not an actual NFL fan in the event you desire it over grass!