Steelers are facing challenge keeping Heinz Field in shape

The Steelers installed 21⁄2 acres of sod over the old turf for Monday’s game.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers own one of the NFL’s greatest home field advantages at Heinz Field, where winds howling off the three rivers torment opposing kickers, and fans stomping on the upper-deck bleachers create a disruptive din.

The Steelers, winners of 75 percent of their regular season home games since moving into Heinz in 2001, only wish they didn’t have so many home fields.

After four high school regional championship games and the South Florida-Pitt game were played on Heinz Field’s fast-deteriorating grass in 17 hours last weekend, 21⁄2 acres of brand new sod were laid atop the old turf. The final strip went down Sunday night, less than 24 hours before Monday night’s Dolphins-Steelers game.

With at least three more home games remaining, the Steelers were convinced the old turf — where brown patches kept growing bigger between the hash marks — had to go as late fall gave way to winter.

“It’s about providing a good field for both teams,” Heinz Field manager Jimmie Sacco said.

The Steelers have had repeated problems maintaining a quality grass field since they left Three Rivers Stadium and its asphalt-hard artificial turf in 2000.

In 2002, the grass field was replaced three times from spring until the end of the season; another year, the grass in the middle of the field was torn out and replaced.

The Steelers felt they had solved their problems in 2003 by installing DD GrassMaster, a surface in which the grass is anchored with synthetic fibers. However, that grass has regularly worn down, leaving barren patches that were painted to give a grass-like appearance.

“When you get a lot of play on it, it’s going to wear,” said Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt, whose team shares Heinz Field with the Steelers. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”

Across the state, the Philadelphia Eagles are experiencing the same problem at Lincoln Financial Field, which they share with Temple. New sod will be laid there before the Eagles’ Sunday home game against Seattle.

Like the Steelers, the Eagles are putting down turf they believe is sturdy and heavy enough to last the rest of the season.

The Steelers’ old surface was beginning to raise the ire of opponents. Several Cleveland players called it the NFL’s worst following the Browns’ 31-28 loss on Nov. 11.

“Everyone knows what they’re getting into when they come here,” kicker Phil Dawson said. “It’s a tough place to play with great tradition. They’ve got great fans here. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the field was part of it.”

An NFL players survey last year ranked the Patriots’ Gillette Stadium and Heinz Field as the two worst playing fields. The Patriots subsequently yanked up the grass and put down grass-like artificial turf.

However, Steelers owner Dan Rooney has long favored grass, believing it causes fewer injuries. Several former Steelers stars experienced career-altering injuries on Three Rivers Stadium’s artificial turf, including Rod Woodson and Jack Lambert.

Rooney isn’t alone in his thinking. A majority of colder-weather NFL teams with open-air stadiums still play on grass: the Browns, Broncos, Chiefs, Bears, Packers, Eagles, Redskins and Steelers.

So do the Titans and Panthers, who play in cities where the late-season weather is cold to moderate.

Artificial turf teams in cold weather cities are the Ravens, Bills, Bengals, Patriots, Seahawks, and the New York Jets and Giants, who share Giants Stadium.

The only warm weather team with an artificial turf field is Miami. All the domed stadium teams, of course, have artificial turf: the Colts, Falcons, Lions, Saints, Rams and Vikings, and so does Texas Stadium in Dallas.