49ers star defender never wants to play for team with artificial turf field

If Pro Bowl edge rusher Nick Bosa ever leaves the San Francisco 49ers via free agency, there’s apparently one piece of criteria that could greatly reduce the number of teams he’d consider joining.

Bosa told The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami that a future decision could “a hundred percent, for sure” depend on if the team he’s going to plays home games on grass or artificial turf. The 2019 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year has long been a critic of turf fields.

Bosa suffered a season-ending torn ACL during a road game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on that turf during the 2020 season. Former teammate Solomon Thomas — who now ironically plays for the Jets — tore his ACL during the Week 2 contest as well.

According to Pro Football Network, 14 of the NFL’s 30 stadiums use turf, though MetLife Stadium will switch to natural grass in 2023. The Jets and New York Giants both play their home games there, while the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams share their home field at SoFi Stadium (which uses turf).

At just 25 years old and perhaps not even in the prime of his career, it’d be a surprise to see Bosa leave the Bay Area anytime soon. For what it’s worth, the 49ers’ home field at Levi’s Stadium is one of the 16 that uses grass.

Bosa is in the fourth year of his five-year rookie contract, and one would think that the Niners will make a strong push to sign him to an extension before he can hit free agency. In February, Bosa and San Francisco star tight end George Kittle both shared a petition aimed at getting the league to move away from turf.

The younger brother of Chargers star Joey Bosa has only missed one of the Niners’ first 11 games this season after picking up a groin injury in Week 5 on the Carolina Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium turf surface. Following the win over the Panthers — which saw numerous other 49ers players go down with injuries — Kittle ranted about “crappy turf” fields.

San Francisco plays its next two games at home. Its only remaining regular-season contest on turf is in Week 15 when the Niners travel to face the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.