San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle attends the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and publicly comments on the playing surface. Multiple outlets report that Kittle posts about the natural grass field at MetLife for the match, sharing an image of the turf and expressing approval of how the grass looks. The stadium is normally associated with artificial turf during NFL games, but it is reported to have installed natural grass specifically for the World Cup.
Kittle uses the occasion to criticize the NFL’s choice of turf at its stadiums. According to the reports, his reaction is presented as a continued complaint about artificial surfaces versus natural grass. The outlets characterize his remarks as a “pleading message” to the league, pointing to the World Cup setup at MetLife as an example of what he believes should be used more broadly.
Across the coverage, the common elements are Kittle’s attendance at the final, his praise of the grass at MetLife Stadium for the World Cup, and his renewed call for the NFL to reconsider playing surface choices for its own games.
