Steelers rectify bad turf fallout without a mess

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers’ players are arguing against artificial turf, and the NFL is pleased at how Heinz Field’s beaten-up grass held up for a playoff game last weekend.

That anticipated switch to artificial turf by the Steelers might not be the done deal it appeared to be six weeks ago.

After nearly 11⁄2 inches of rain in several hours and a newly sodded field combined to make Heinz Field’s surface almost unplayable for Pittsburgh’s 3-0 victory over Miami Nov. 26, the club was expected to install artificial turf once the season ended.

Criticized for playing six high school, college and NFL games in a four-day span on grass turf in bad weather, the Steelers found themselves being ridiculed inside and out of the league. Jaguars running back Fred Taylor called the bad grass “a lawsuit waiting to happen.”

Now, the pro-grass faction might be winning out.

Despite light rain during the game, the field was in the best shape it’s been in for weeks during Jacksonville’s 31-29 AFC wild card victory Saturday. Punts didn’t plug in ankle-deep mud the way they did in the Miami game, and wide receivers didn’t slide or lose traction on pass routes.

“We’re going to have a big discussion about what to do and things like this ... but we haven’t even discussed it yet,” Steelers owner Dan Rooney said. “I think the grass held up really good.”

Concerned about the mushy turf, the NFL kept an operations executive in Pittsburgh after the Miami game, then did so again last week. Rooney said the league was pleased Saturday with the field conditions for a game attended by commissioner Roger Goodell.

“They had their guy here looking at it, to see how it was, and he said it was great for this game,” Rooney said. “But they don’t tell you, ‘You’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that.’ At least they haven’t told us that.”

Numerous players, including Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu, are pleading to keep the grass because they are convinced it reduces knee and ankle injuries.