Though Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco eventually crossed safely into the end zone to start the third quarter, he first found himself tripped up without being touched a few plays prior.
This was far from the only instance, through Super Bowl LVII’s first three quarters, of both Eagles and Chiefs players slipping on the surface that covers Glendale’s State Farm Stadium.
According to Erin Andrews, the Eagles went through a total overhaul of their cleats at halftime, swapping for shoes that might grab the turf more effectively.
The Chiefs? They weren’t seen changing their shoes whatsoever, which hopefully won’t affect the on-field action in a tightening Super Bowl.
Early on, fans couldn’t believe the rampant slippage, assuming the paint job was to blame. As the game continued, though, the Kevin Burkhart/Greg Olsen broadcast booth pointed out the concern and pinpointed the turf itself.
Who in the @NFL allowed the turf to be painted making it so slippery? This is ridiculous. The players are all slipping. #SuperBowl
— John DePetro Show (@JohnDePetroshow) February 13, 2023
What is the Super Bowl LVII slippery turf called?
It’s a variety of Bermudagrass called Tahoma 31, which has reportedly been problematic in Glendale, AZ for quite some time. Pretty great idea to put the problematic turf front and center on the NFL’s biggest stage!
Supposedly, Tahoma 31 is more cold tolerant than similar surfaces, which doesn’t seem like something that should’ve been a concern for this particular battle in the desert.
The turf at State Farm Stadium must be made of banana peels #SuperBowl
— The Hood Therapist (@OhhMar24) February 13, 2023
No, it’s not banana peels — though technically those count as recycled materials, right? Maybe that would actually be safer and more efficient than wheeling this real grass out into the open for watering on a daily basis.
Super Bowl honestly should just use fake grass turf instead of spending $800,000 for this wasteful nonsense everyday in the Arizona desert. #SuperBowlLVII #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/UPoTCmtokm
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) February 13, 2023
Don’t remember the Giants, Patriots, or Seahawks dealing with the same turf monster during their classic Glendale Super Bowls from 2008 and 2015. How does the technology worsen as time goes on?
This fourth quarter is set to be one for the ages, and every margin matters in one-score Super Bowls. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones must be at their very best … but the whole shebang could also be undone by an errant chunk of Bermudagrass. Lovely.
Luckily, Rihanna made it out unscathed.
Twitter fawns over Rihanna’s halftime show from Super Bowl LVII
Let's take a look at the Twitterverse and the range of responses we saw from folks while watching Rihanna perform on the Super Bowl LVII halftime show.