Green Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari has pleaded with the NFL to stop using artificial turf on playing surfaces.
He reiterated his stance after Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during the New York Jets’ Week 1 Monday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills.
In Week 2, Bakhtiari’s stand against turf was scrutinized when he didn’t play against the Atlanta Falcons.
There was speculation that he was skipping the match in protest against Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s FieldTurf Core.
However, the five-time All-Pro offensive lineman clarified that the surface at the Falcons’ home field wasn’t the reason for his absence.
“I would never leave them hanging out to dry. I signed up to play. I plan on playing. And when I can play, I’m going to play. Clearly, if I’m not playing, there’s something going on. It’s not like it’s been a secret. It’s something I’ve been battling with, and it’s been sh***. It’s been weighing on me a lot,” Bakhtiari shared with media members yesterday, as shared by NBC Sports’ Chaldean Williams.
David Bakhtiari: If I wasn’t going to play on turf, I’d probably make more of a ruckus. https://t.co/sJdWrWn27a
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 21, 2023
Bakhtiari was reportedly absent in Week 2 because of his nagging knee injury.
After suffering an ACL tear on his left knee in December 2020, he’s had three surgeries and played in less than half of the Packers’ regular season games since 2021.
His status in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints remains questionable.
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