Slippery pitch in Brazil poses challenges for Eagles and Packers

SÃO PAULO – The field conditions were a big topic of conversation after the Philadelphia Eagles’ 34-29 win over the Green Bay Packers on Friday night.

Several players lost their footing during the game and later attributed it to the slippery floor at Arena Corinthians, which is normally a soccer stadium. For the Eagles, the game brought back some not so fond memories from the recent past.

“It kind of reminded me of the Super Bowl turf,” said tight end Dallas Goedert, referring to the surface in Arizona when the Eagles lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.

“I mean, you all saw it was pretty tough to get traction,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said. “It was definitely a challenge on that field. It’s not the type of field we normally play on. We’ve had a field like that before. They had to play on it, too. I’m just glad that as a team we found a way to deal with it and overcome it.”

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was one of the first to lose his footing, resulting in a 5-yard loss on his first run in an Eagles uniform. After the series, he went to the sideline and told his teammates they would have to switch to longer, seven-stud cleats.

The move benefited Barkley greatly, as he managed a run of over 100 yards and ended up scoring a total of three touchdowns.

“It’s one of those fields where the tip came off pretty easily,” said offensive tackle Lane Johnson. “That’s what cleats are for. That’s why we pack them. They’re not comfortable, but they’re practical.”

Some players had learned from the past and taken the step before the game.

“I ran a route at full speed when we did the circuit (on Thursday), slipped and said to myself, ‘I’m not going to make the same mistake twice, I’m going to seven stallions,'” Goedert said.

The Packers also felt the effects, with coach Matt LaFleur telling a reporter on the sidelines during the game that “it was definitely a problem.”

“I mean, there were a few instances where I slipped,” Packers safety Xavier McKinney said. “It was a little slippery. Different than what I’m used to. It’s just different circumstances. Obviously, every field is different. We have to be able to do our job regardless of the circumstances and do it at a high level.”

Not everyone was so diplomatic. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James took to social media and wrote: “Man, this field sucks!!!”

It wasn’t for lack of effort. Eagles head groundskeeper Tony Leonard worked with NFL field director Nick Pappas “for months” in the lead-up to the game to create the perfect conditions for an NFL game, Philadelphia assistant general manager Jon Ferrari said last week.

“It’s a football pitch, but it’s been retrofitted in some ways,” Ferrari said, “so it’s in excellent condition.”