J.J. Watt jokes that NFL should change fields to all grass with money it's using on new robot in stadiums this season (2024)

J.J. Watt has entered the conversation.

In the moments after Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles Monday night at Metlife Stadium during the New York Jets' season opener — an injury that will force him to miss the rest of the season — the conversation quickly turned to the surface of the field at Metlife Stadium. Even the NFL Players Association has issued a letter to the NFL, seeking a change to all grass fields.

As a member of the Green Bay Packers for nearly two decades, Rodgers always played at least half of his games on grass at Lambeau Field.

After being traded to the Jets, Rodgers would now be playing his home games on FieldTurf at MetLife, which was actually updated this offseason with a design claiming to lower the risk of injury.

However, four plays into Rodgers' debut with the Jets, his left Achilles ruptured as he was being sacked on the team's first possession. Was it the turf or a freak injury to a 39-year-old who battled a calf injury in the offseason?

J.J. Watt intrigued by NFL's new robot testing fields this season

Watt made it clear he prefers grass during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" Wednesday — he'll actually be a weekly regular on the daily talk show.

But when McAfee noted the NFL's chief medical officer told him last month that NFL is using a robot to test fields, the Pewaukee native was intrigued.

"I'd love to see this robot. I mean what the hell does that look like?" Watt joked. "And what does it do, and what does that cost? Could we just change all the fields for the cost of the robot?"

J.J. Watt says 'absolutely' grass is his preferred option in most cases

Joking aside, Rodgers' injury for many players, including Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari, appeared to be the last straw in their fight over playing surfaces as many blasted the NFL. Half of the teams play in stadiums that use artificial turf.

For Watt, who retired this past offseason after a Hall of Fame career, it's not much of a debate.

"All things considered, when everything is equal, I absolutely love grass," Watt, 34, said Wednesday. "Every single player does. It feels better on your joints, reduces the injury risk. Absolutely."

Watt, the former Wisconsin Badgers star, admitted there were instances when he did like turf.

"The only time I, as a player, ever preferred turf is in inclement weather," said Watt, who played on artificial turf at Camp Randall Stadium during his college days. "If it was raining, if it was snowing as a player and as a pass rusher who needs his footing, I like the turf in that scenario because it doesn't get as sloppy."

The only two roof/domed stadiums that don't use artificial turf are State Farm Stadium in Phoenix and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Watt played his final two years of his career at State Farm Stadium as a member of the Arizona Cardinals.

Both stadiums use a retractable field in which natural grass rolls in and out with the push of a button so it can get sunlight outside when not in use.

J.J. Watt acknowledges the challenges to getting grass in all NFL stadiums

However, Watt, who played on turf in Houston for much of his career, does see some issues at stadiums to incorporate grass.

For instance, Watt mentioned how the playing surface of SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, is 100 feet below ground level.

"You can't do a tray system," Watt said, like Arizona. "It's dug underground. How are you going to do that every week with fresh grass in a domed stadium. Those are logistic things I understand are gigantic and tough to figure out right now."

Watt said he's also seen it done wrong.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year, who has ownership stake in the English Burnley Football Club, said he was in attendance at an international soccer game in the United States where a stadium laid down a grass field over concrete and it was "really shoddy."

"If you're going to do that, that's less safe," Watt said.