Kelly Stafford Urges NFL to Ban Turf Fields Amid CTE Concerns
Following a new study linking turf fields to increased injury risk and a high rate of CTE in former players, the wife of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford called for the NFL to prioritize player safety.
Kelly Stafford, wife of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, has publicly called for the NFL to ban artificial turf in stadiums, citing growing concerns over player safety and brain trauma.
Her plea comes in the wake of a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, which found that 75 percent of former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative brain disease. The study was conducted by researchers from Boston University, Mass General Brigham, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation.
Stafford expressed her concerns on Instagram, arguing that removing turf surfaces would be a significant step toward protecting players. "GET RID OF TURF. PLEASE. / Will it fix everything? No. Will it eliminate injuries? Absolutely not. But my goodness, wouldn't it be a step in the right direction?" she posted.
She emphasized that while the inherent physicality of football is understood, players should not have to contend with surfaces that can exacerbate injuries. "We know there are serious concerns about turf and the injuries that come with playing on it. Knees, ankles, ligaments… you name it. / But what really gets me is the HEAD," Stafford wrote. She added, "We can't always control what these players hit. But we sure as hell can control what they land on. And if there's a chance that changing the surface beneath them could reduce even ONE serious injury, shouldn't we be doing everything possible to make that happen?"
Stafford highlighted the long-term toll the sport takes on players, extending beyond their playing careers, and urged the league to set a higher standard for player safety for younger generations aspiring to play professionally. "I've watched what this game takes from these men," she stated. "I've seen the injuries, the surgeries, the pain they play through, and the toll it can take on their head long after the final whistle. / And I love this game. Our family loves this game. That's exactly WHY I want it to be better."
Matthew Stafford, a 18-season veteran and Super Bowl LVI champion, has been placed in concussion protocol multiple times during his career, fueling his wife's concerns about head trauma.
The JAMA study follows a similar paper from August that estimated one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE. CTE can only be definitively diagnosed posthumously, and its symptoms can include memory loss, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Julia Gallini, the lead author of the recent study, described the 75 percent figure as "concerning" and called for more support for families, diagnosis during life, and treatment for CTE-related symptoms.
In response to the ongoing concerns, the NFL stated that the league "continuously strives to make the game of football safer, including by implementing strategies to reduce concussions and head impacts." The league also encouraged former players to utilize available resources for health concerns. The NFL Players Association acknowledged the importance of such studies in improving the understanding of football's long-term effects.