NFL Fans Rip MetLife Turf After Malik Nabers’s Bad-Looking Knee Injury vs. Chargers

Kristen Wong | Sep 28, 2025

Giants star wide receiver Malik Nabers is believed to have suffered an ACL injury during Sunday's game against the Chargers. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Giants got some very bad news during Sunday's game against the Chargers as star wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered a painful-looking knee injury in the second quarter and was carted off the field.

Nabers was going up for a catch when his right leg seemed to buckle just before his jump. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Nabers is believed to have torn his ACL in his right knee.

If true, Nabers would be the latest victim of the notorious MetLife Stadium turf, which has seen a handful of stars suffer season-ending injuries in the past half decade. Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles in 2023, while Kyle Fuller, Sterling Shepard and Wan'Dale Robinson all tore their ACLs in '22. Jabrill Peppers and Solomon Thomas also suffered ACL injuries in '21 and '20 respectively.

Although Nabers's ACL injury is not yet confirmed, Giants fans are already preparing for the worst. Many may be coping with the unfortunate news by blaming the turf at MetLife, which may have played a part in hurting Nabers.

MetLife's turf is going to be a topic of conversation again after the Nabers injury. They changed to a different type of synthetic turf 2 years ago and plan to have natural grass for the World Cup next year.

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) September 28, 2025

On replay, looked like Malik Nabers planted his right leg into the turf to leap for the ball and something buckled. Awful to see. Giants' most effective weapon in the game now is Jaxson Dart's running threat #Giants

— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) September 28, 2025

Malik Nabers tearing his ACL is another example of MetLife turf ending a player’s season. How many times for we have to see something like this before they change it from turf to real grass https://t.co/wWGzQAq2ZT pic.twitter.com/CVQ8ASN3rD

— 🧘🏾‍♂️ (@bdrip1k) September 28, 2025

We NEED the ownership to change the MetLife turf.

Many players have gotten injured and now Malik Nabers and Joe Alt are the latest victim to the horrendous turf.

We can't let players keep getting hurt from this. pic.twitter.com/bTZa2W3nWV

— GiantsMuse (@Giants_muse) September 28, 2025

Turf at the Meadowlands claims another star

Prayers up to Malik Nabers

They better change this turf before the World Cup next year https://t.co/xx3FY5eUna

— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) September 28, 2025

MetLifes turf has ruined OBJ and Nabers and the world cup final is supposed to be played there pic.twitter.com/IcGLpjekZ6

— hollywood ryan🕷️ (@pepjoanalbert) September 28, 2025

Back in 2022, NFL players association president JC Tretter was among those who wanted the NFL to ban the use of slit film turf, the artificial surface at MetLife and five other stadiums around the league. Tretter noted that this kind of turf led to higher injury rates compared to other playing surfaces, especially when it came to non-contact injuries.

As a counterpoint, ESPN's Kevin Seifert reported the same year that the rate of non-contact injuries to the knee, ankle and foot is "roughly the same" on natural and artificial playing surfaces in recent years.

Prayers up to Nabers, who was on the cusp of a breakout season in his second year in New York.

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