Former Denver Broncos QB Jake Plummer, who started at quarterback for 10 years in the NFL, recently gave his thoughts on teams shifting from football played outside on grass to indoors with artificial turf.

The NFL keeps inching toward a future of climate-controlled domes and pristine artificial surfaces, and it’s the wrong direction for the sport. More indoor-only stadiums mean less weather, less chaos, and less of what makes football feel like football.

And Plummer made it very clear he is not a fan. 

“I hate it, I hate playing indoors. I like the outdoors. I like real grass. I like grass stains. I like the way grass feels,” Plummer recently told A to Z Sports. “I like the rain and the snow and the wind. I like the elements. We’re trying to homogenize the game. So much so because there’s so much outside of the game, so many millions and millions of dollars being exchanged on how we perform, that they are trying to make it equal.”

The league’s obsession with controlling every variable on the field has everything to do with the money swirling around it and almost nothing to do with the players who actually play the game.

The elements are part of the game

The auxiliary elements that surround the NFL could be dictating how the game is played now, with fantasy football and sports betting being key contributors for the complaints from fans who don’t like messy conditions.

Plummer acknowledged this factor, but still doesn’t want it interfering with the game.

“If you have a fantasy team that’s playing in the snow or a really bad game and your quarterbacks handing the ball off all week, you’re going to lose,” said Plummer. “And that sucks for those fantasy players. But I always said it’s not about the fantasy players. It’s about us on the field.

“So more grass is needed. I think the players have spoken up about it and we saw what they did for FIFA and the World Cup. It’s like, yeah, what about us? You know, let’s put us on the real grass. It’s better for us. So if they can open the stadium, that’s cool. If they have real grass, that’s cool. But this fake artificial stuff, I think it’s got to go”

Billionaires can afford some grass

In a final plea to the real decision makers, Plummer poked fun at the fact billionaire owners could consider selling a yacht to improve the playing surface for NFL players.

“You’re going to have to spend a million on some grass right. Sorry. You know, maybe you’re going to have to sell your third yacht, but put some grass in the stadium.” 

Plummer didn’t seem to have much sympathy for the plight of the modern NFL owner during our interview.

Personally, I side with Plummer when it comes to playing on grass. When I played I always felt much more comfortable on grass opposed to the turf. I also believe playing on grass unlocks a different energy from players. The fast wide receivers and defensive backs like the artificial turf due to it being optimized for quick cuts and change of direction. Grass lends itself much better for every other position.

But most importantly, the players believe it would be safer. I could wax poetic about getting up from the ground with a clump of grass and dirt cemented onto a facemask and maybe that would make people feel good about grass. Regardless, the players advocating for grass to protect themselves should be the final punctuation of this debate.