Now more than ever, the NFL keeps a close eye on injuries to its players and how to prevent them. Part of that process is constantly evaluating the playing fields themselves.

The grass vs. turf debate is often one fans point to when a star goes down with a significant injury, as different NFL stadiums feature varying playing surfaces. Some venues have kept their traditional grass fields, while others have turned to artificial turf.

When the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60, playing conditions will be as important as ever, with a title on the line between the AFC and NFC champions. What type of field will they play on?

Here’s what to know about whether Levi’s Stadium has a grass or turf playing field.

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Is Levi’s Stadium grass or turf?

Levi’s Stadium has a natural grass playing surface. In 2014, the stadium implemented an ahybrid Bermuda grass called Bandera Bermuda, with a company named West Coast Turf installing the field. 

In 2014, the 49ers‘ then-head groundskeeper said the team selected the certain type of grass to help avoid injuries, per the 49ers, saying it “has good tensile strength so when a player plants his cleat, it stays together.”

Because the field uses grass, it has to be maintained more often throughout the year.

The 49ers are installing new grass at Levi’s Stadium after this past weekend’s Ed Sheeran concert ahead of their Thursday Night matchup against the New York Giants #FTTB pic.twitter.com/SZCnIQHkNR

— Markus Boucher (@MarkusBoucher) September 18, 2023

According to SF Gate, for Super Bowl 60, the NFL ordered a grass called “Ready Play’ from West Coast Turf, “a Bermuda grass that the company overseeds with ryegrass.” Weeks in advance of the big game, the field was put into place.

Virtually every NFL stadium has faced complaints from players about the field surface, and Levi’s Stadium is notably no exception. In 2015, grass collapsed under Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, with a chunk of turf giving way. Later on, the day after Super Bowl 50, Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib said “the footing on the field was terrible,” per ESPN.

Do the Patriots play on grass or turf?

The Patriots play on artificial turf at Gillette Stadium, using a FieldTurf surface since 2006.

According to the team, in 2017, the Patriots upgraded their synthetic turf to include 
“monofilament technology,” which “makes the surface player-friendly, resilient and durable.” 

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Do the Seahawks play on grass or turf?

The Seahawks also play on artificial turf at Lumen Field. In fact, Seattle’s stadium became the first in the NFL to install FieldTurf in 2002, despite initial plans for the team to play on grass. Seattle uses a turf called FieldTurf Revolution 360.

Both Super Bowl 60 teams could have a bit of an adjustment, going from turf to grass for the biggest game of the season.

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