The Athletic's NFL Player Poll Finds MetLife Stadium Least Popular Venue
The Athletic's NFL Staff recently conducted a poll in which the participating players voted on various topics, from the biggest trash talker to the coach they'd most like to play for.
But one such question--the worst stadium to play in--took home the overwhelming majority of the votes, and that, of course, would be MetLife Stadium, jointly shared by the Giants and Jets. MetLife Stadium received 18.4 percent of the votes, making it the overwhelming winner ahead of FedExField, home of the Washington Commanders, which received 13.9 percent of the votes.
The poll's feedback included derogatory comments about the newly installed turf. At the same time, another anonymous player had some harsh words for the fan base (though it was unclear which team's fans he was referring to), saying the “fans are horrible. Everything about that place is horrible.”
(Yet the survey for the most annoying fan base had the Eagles and Cowboys neck-and-neck for the top honors, according to the 73 voters.)
Many Giants fans who remember the warmth and sightlines afforded by the old Giants Stadium will likely agree with the feedback (save for the part about the fan base being horrible, that is). Because MetLife Stadium hosts two teams, the color scheme is a drab and cold-looking gray, which gets turned over depending on who the home team is.
Fans have also opined that the stadium's exterior is ugly and that the sightlines, particularly for the upper deck, are so far removed from the field that it creates a degree of separation from the action. Many fans are also unhappy that the building was never completed with a retractable roof to help protect everyone from the elements.
MetLife Stadium wasn't the only Giants-related subject to earn a spot on the various polls. Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence drew 2.9 percent of the 71 votes cast (along with Matthew Judon, Zaire Franklin, Stefon Diggs, and Maxx Crosby) as the biggest trash talker, placing that group last.
The reigning Coach of the Year winner, Brian Daboll, did not receive a single vote among the 72 cast for "Which Coach, aside from your own, would you want to play for?" question.
You can see the entire poll results (subscription required), which includes feedback on the officiating, changing the franchise tag rate for running backs, the grass vs. turf debate, and playing for an overseas franchise here.
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