Garrett Wilson calls MetLife Stadium turf 'garbage' after escaping injury on site of Aaron Rodgers' torn Achilles

Garrett Wilson has a message for New York Jets owner Woody Johnson:

The turf at MetLife Stadium needs to be replaced.

The Jets' wide receiver made his plea after he escaped an injury scare in Sunday's win over the Philadelphia Eagles after slipping to the turf on a route.

After the slip, Wilson briefly left the game and rode to the locker room for X-rays on the passenger seat of a cart. He was able to return, and he posted eight catches for 90 yards in the 20-14 upset to hand the Eagles their first loss of the season.

After the game, Wilson described the turf at MetLife Stadium as "garbage."

https://sports.yahoo.com/garrett-wilson-calls-metlife-stadium-turf-garbage-after-escaping-injury-on-site-of-aaron-rodgers-torn-achilles-033923491.html
Garrett Wilson is not happy with the turf at MefLife Stadium. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

This is not the first time the MetLife Stadium turf has come under scrutiny.

Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari blasted the turf after his friend and former teammate Aaron Rodgers tore an Achilles tendon in his Jets debut in Week 1. Rodgers sustained the injury on a sack while his foot was planted in the turf.

The injury prompted Bakhtiari to call for natural grass at all NFL fields, renewing an ongoing debate over the impacts of artificial turf on player safety.

"How many more players have to get hurt on ARTIFICIAL TURF??!" Bakhtiari wrote on social media.

MetLife Stadium has long been the target of critics after a rash of injuries to San Francisco 49ers players in a 2020 game against the Jets. Those calls were heeded — to a point. Officials installed new turf at MetLife Stadium last offseason.

But the new turf is not natural grass. It's the latest version of artificial turf called the FieldTurf Core system, which touts technology such as "the first multi-layer dual-polymer monofilament fiber."

Through three Jets home games this season, that turf has hosted a season-ending injury to New York's starting quarterback while putting a scare into its No. 1 wide receiver. Until and unless the turf is replaced with natural grass, the calls for change aren't likely to cease.