"The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to a new model for selecting playing surfaces in stadiums, one that will require teams to choose from an approved set of manufacturers and styles for both natural and synthetic fields. The policy will apply to any teams that plan to replace their surfaces for the 2026 season. By the 2028 season, all stadiums will be required to have approved fields."
"Nick Pappas, the NFL's field director, described the model as similar to the NFL/NFLPA helmet policy, where players must choose from a list of accredited helmet models. "We want to make sure that we're supporting our clubs and we're supporting our athletes," Pappas said, "and ensuring that every field that enters our league is meeting the requirements that we believe are, obviously, ever evolving but the right ones.""
The NFL and NFL Players Association agreed on a new model requiring teams to select playing surfaces from an approved list of manufacturers and styles for both natural and synthetic fields. The requirement applies to teams planning to replace surfaces for the 2026 season, with all stadiums required to have approved fields by 2028. The model mirrors the accredited-list approach used for helmets, restricting choices to vetted options. The policy emphasizes minimum quality standards and athlete support. Surface replacement schedules are unlikely to change, as many artificial fields are replaced every two to three years and natural fields can be renewed multiple times per season.
Read at ESPN.com
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