Several San Francisco 49ers complained about the playing surface at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The team suffered numerous injuries, including season-ending ACL injuries to two defensive linemen — Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas.
San Francisco will likely be without its starting quarterback and top two running backs on Sunday when the team returns to MetLife Stadium to play the New York Giants. Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a high-ankle sprain, and Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman suffered knee injuries this past weekend on the playing surface.
Representatives from the NFL, NFLPA, MetLife Stadium, Giants, New York Jets, and an independent field inspector all conducted another review of the playing surface on Wednesday, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The result was a determination that the field meets all applicable standards and protocols.
Yesterday, reps from the NFL, NFLPA, MetLife Stadium, #Giants & #Jets, Field Turf & independent field inspector conducted another review of the field surface at MetLife Stadium. The group again verified the field meets all applicable standards & protocols for NFL field surfaces.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 24, 2020
That means there will be no change in venue for Sunday's game amid concerns surrounding player safety. A move wasn't expected, though, and the 49ers have been assuming they will play at MetLife Stadium for the second consecutive weekend.
Of course, that doesn't mean their concern is gone.
"I'd be lying to tell you we're not going to be thinking about it or it's not going to go across our minds," offensive tackle Trent Williams said Wednesday. "But when you've got 300-pound linemen in front of you that's trying to put you on your back, I think the surface falls on the back burner."
Linebacker Fred Warner isn't letting concern over the playing surface overwhelm him either.
"I'm a big believer of controlling the controllables, doing what I can," Warner said. "With the playing surface that we're going to be playing on, on Sunday, I have no control over that. I'm letting everyone else handle that in the building and outside. The only thing I can do is prepare for the New York Giants."