Only half of all NFL stadiums have actual grass fields, but according to a study conducted by the NFL Players Association, 92% of players prefer playing on grass over turf. That's part of why the Green Bay Packers have spent so much time and money not only maintaining their grass field, but also trying to find inventive new ways to bridge the gap between the two options.
Whatever the evidence says, players tend to agree that injuries are more common when playing on strictly turf fields, and the recovery process is more intense when coming off a fake field than it is after playing on real grass. Tight end Tucker Kraft took to social media on Friday, doubling down on the take and celebrating the Packers' commitment to their players by tweeting:
"Green Bay Packers are spoiled since we play on the greatest surface in the NFL. Natural grass is the best, and should be the only surface we play on. We are #WorthTheCost"
The Packers play on what's called "SISGrass," which is 95% real grass and 5% synthetic fiber strands specifically woven in a way that reinforces the field and prevents the real grass from being torn up as easily as it otherwise would. They are the only team in the NFL making this investment in their field, which speaks to a larger truth behind both Tucker Kraft's tweet and what makes the franchise unique.
Tucker Kraft highlights why the Packers' investment in their field is an investment in their players.
There are few legacy franchises as strong in both brand recognition and consistency as the Green Bay Packers. It's hard to argue by any standards — let alone when surveying the entire landscape of modern professional sports in America. Yes, money is great, but that's not what it's all about in America's Dairyland.
The Packers are one of the great institutions of the state of Wisconsin, representing not just the state's deep-rooted passion for sports, but the culture that makes it unique. No matter what's going on around you, everyone can come together to celebrate a Packers victory or lament a loss. Like the SISGrass itself, the Packers are the one-of-a-kind fiber binding this great state together, through good times and bad.
It's also what appeals to a player like Tucker Kraft, who doesn't just represent the culture by wearing a jersey, but also in how he embraces Green Bay and how he's embraced back. That's not specific to him either — it's a throughline for generations of players who made Wisconsin their home. It's what could take such a high-profile superstar like Micah Parsons, drop him into the icy tundra after years under the bright lights in Dallas, and make him feel at home as if nothing ever changed.
So Kraft makes a great point when he says the Packers players are spoiled, but it's not just because of the turf. It's because of the great legacy they get to be a part of, and for Green Bay's unwavering commitment as a franchise to its players and community alike.
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