Sports
Nabers injury revives concerns on MetLife field
The major knee injury suffered by New York Giants star wide receiver Malik Nabers has reignited discussions about the turf playing surface at MetLife Stadium.
One executive from an opposing team said this week that, due to the FieldTurf playing surface, his players are “petrified” of playing at MetLife. The executive added that if a player is nursing an injury, he might be less apt to play through it for a game at MetLife.
Others also are aware and concerned. NFL Players Association interim executive director David White was in Newark, New Jersey, on Monday for a scheduled visit with the Giants as part of his fall team meetings, and while he was there, he raised the issue of MetLife’s turf field and its ongoing history of season-ending lower extremity injuries.
Nabers suffered a season-ending torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee Sunday when he leaped for a Jaxson Dart pass. The wide receiver immediately reached for his right leg as he was in the air and landed hard on the ground.
MetLife Stadium, the home of the Giants and New York Jets, installed an updated version of FieldTurf, called the FieldTurf Core system, in 2023 that was hoped would decrease injuries. Last year, MetLife had one of the lowest injury rates in the league among fields using grass or turf, according to the NFL. Overall, there were fewer ACL injuries last year on synthetic turf than grass and there’s been no difference so far this year, the league said.
While at least 15 players have suffered knee ligament or Achilles tears at MetLife since 2020, the majority came before the new turf was installed in March 2023. Some of the more notable ones include Jaelan Phillips (Achilles, 2023), Aaron Rodgers (Achilles, 2023), Wan’Dale Robinson (ACL, 2022), Sterling Shepard (ACL, 2022), Jabrill Peppers (ACL, 2021) and Nick Bosa (ACL, 2020). Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall also suffered significant ankle injuries at MetLife in 2017.
The Jets say their research shows that since 2023, grass fields have had more knee ligament or Achilles tears – with 38 injuries happening on grass field and 23 on turf, and since the turf update in 2023, 3 injuries have happened at MetLife. They say far more of these types of injuries happened in training camp than during the season. The NFL adds with both the Giants and Jets calling MetLife home, the stadium hosts twice as many games as venues with just one team.
MetLife ranked ninth-best when it comes to lower-extremity injuries, according to the NFL’s injury data from 2024. And for visiting players, who are typically more vulnerable on unfamiliar surfaces, MetLife actually graded out first, safest in the NFL.
Beckham posted to social media Sunday night asking for the NFL to “PLZ. PLZ. PLZ. GET RID OF THE [expletive emoji] TURF.”
Dear @NFL , I mean this with the upmost love and respect. We (The NFL) take all The precautions in the world with EVERYthing else when it comes to players “health” and “safety”. PLZ. PLZ. PLZ. GET RID OF THE 🤬 TURF. Thank You in advance. LUV
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) September 29, 2025
In each of the past two years, more than 90% of players have said through the NFLPA’s annual survey that they prefer to play on grass instead of turf fields. One NFLPA official said via email this week that its office has heard from players who are “puzzled” by stadiums that are changing to grass for the Club World Cup and World Cup but sticking with turf for football.
Despite any outcry, the NFL has no plans to change out the latest playing surface at MetLife Stadium.
Nabers’ injury shined a spotlight on the turf issue again, but one NFLPA official said the topic was percolating even earlier, after Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a turf toe injury while playing on the FieldTurf at Paycor Stadium in Week 2. Burrow underwent surgery Sept. 19 and is expected to be out at least three months.
The Bengals were among the teams that switched to the FieldTurf Core system in 2024.
Sports
Washington State’s Emmanuel Ugbo suspended for rest of season
PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State forward Emmanuel Ugbo, who is currently under a court order resulting from allegations of stalking and harassment, has been suspended for the remainder of the season.
Coach David Riley told reporters this week that Ugbo, who has neither played nor practiced for the Cougars since he was suspended on Jan. 28, will sit out the rest of the way.
“As an institution,” Riley told reporters, “we believe that’s the best course of action.”
Ugbo was accused by a Washington State women’s volleyball player of stalking and harassment after she ended their relationship. Last week, a Whitman County judge granted the woman a full protection order against Ugbo.
Ugbo’s suspension began with Washington State’s home game on Jan. 31, shortly after the woman filed for a temporary protection order. Ugbo averaged 6.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in 18 minutes this season. He previously played for Boise State.
Sports
Anthony Richardson free to seek trade after injury setbacks amid Colts’ shift to Daniel Jones
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Anthony Richardson Sr.’s future in Indianapolis faces more uncertainty than ever.
The Indianapolis Colts granted Anthony Richardson, the team that used the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on the quarterback, permission to explore a trade. His agent, Deiric Jackson, confirmed the latest development in the 23-year-old’s tumultuous career to ESPN on Thursday.
Veteran quarterback Daniel Jones beat out Richardson in a preseason competition for the starting job. Jones made the most of another opportunity as an NFL starter, helping the Colts win eight of their first 10 games of the 2025 regular season.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson heads off the field after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
However, his season was ultimately derailed by an Achilles injury. The setback came two years after he tore an ACL with the New York Giants. The Colts appear ready to move forward with Jones, clouding Richardson’s future in Indianapolis.
Jones is set to become a free agent in March, meaning the Colts must either use the franchise tag or sign him to a new deal. Richardson has started just 15 games in three seasons with the Colts, his tenure largely shaped by injuries.
A shoulder surgery limited Richardson to four games during his rookie campaign, while a series of setbacks cost him four games in 2024.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) looks for an open receiver during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Richardson suffered what was described as a “freak pregame incident” during warmups last season, landing him on injured reserve after attempting just two passes in two games in 2025. He has thrown 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in his NFL career.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that the vision problems stemming from Richardson’s orbital fracture last October are “trending in the right direction.” He added that Richardson has been “cleared to play.”

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) celebrates his touchdown against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
Riley Leonard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is expected to return to the Colts next season.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
When asked about Richardson’s standing with the Colts moving ahead, Ballard replied, “I still believe in Anthony.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Sports
Bayern could effectively end Dortmund’s season with Klassiker win
The German word of the week in the Bundesliga ahead of Saturday’s showdown (live at 12:30 p.m. ET, on ESPN+) is not the marketing invention der Klassiker but rather die Aufholjagd (literally, “the hunt to pursue”).
There are in all honesty, very few, even here in the bustling Ruhrpott this week, who believe Borussia Dortmund are likely to make up nine points on leaders Bayern Munich. With the goal difference equation stacked in favor of the Rekordmeister, that is the challenge facing BVB with only 11 games left. But a head-to-head Gipfeltreffen (summit meeting) offers a chance for a new perspective.
Dortmund have spent much of this season under Niko Kovac defying stereotypes: showing a more stable face, grinding out wins, pressing better, reemerging as clearly the second-best team in the Bundesrepublik.
– Why Stuttgart, Celtic’s Europa League opponents, are worth watching
– Meet Noahkai Banks, the outside pick to make USMNT’s World Cup squad
– Harry Kane scores 500th goal: Explaining stats behind red-hot form
But on Wednesday night in Bergamo, the old problems came back to haunt die Schwarz-Gelben, and the team collectively had to Lehrgeld zahlen (literally pay up as a result of being taught a painful lesson) after being eliminated by Atalanta in their knockout round playoff tie in the UEFA Champions League.
Whether Dortmund can translate those lessons — among them, don’t start a big match so passively and Gregor Kobel, don’t give the ball to the opposition with extra time looming — into something successful against a team of Bayern’s sheer quality, is another matter.
Bayern are almost certain to break the Bundesliga’s single-season goal-scoring record (they have 85 goals and need 17 more, a mere bagatelle surely?) Harry Kane requires 14 between now and mid-May to surpass Robert Lewandowski‘s 2020-21 benchmark of 41 league goals. The Englishman has registered a Doppelpack (double) in each of his past three league matches and if he stays fit, you would not bet against him becoming the most goal-rich winner of the Torjägerkanone award ever.
With Michael Olise scoring freely and more importantly, assisting others, and Luis Díaz posing significant problems for opposing sides, Bayern win most games by overwhelming and obliterating. Nobody does it better.
There is, however, a slight glass-jaw quality defensively, which has been evident since January, with only one Bundesliga clean sheet so far this calendar year.
Augsburg for example, have gone to the Allianz Arena and beaten them, Hoffenheim caused them bother even while down to 10 men, and last week Eintracht Frankfurt scored a couple of late goals that Bayern fans, anticipating an easy win, will have seen as nervig (irritating).
At the time of writing, it is unclear who will stand between the posts for the Rekordmeister. Manuel Neuer has been working all week in a bid to get back into the side after sustaining a calf muscle injury at the Weserstadion nearly two weeks ago.
However, Bayern have faith in 22-year-old understudy Jonas Urbig, who looks ever more like the future custodian. Urbig stumbled in the Augsburg game, but his performances have ranged mostly from good to excellent.
If there are any doubts about Neuer’s fitness, it would seem foolish — given the eight-point difference at the top and crunch Champions League matches ahead — to take a chance. Alphonso Davies is out for the foreseeable future with a muscle fiber injury, but with Konrad Laimer available again, Vincent Kompany has plenty of squad depth in the fullback positions with Josip Stanisic and Hiroki Ito.
It almost seems unfair to Dortmund, given the colossal task that they face on Saturday, that right wing back Julian Ryerson is suspended. The Norwegian, once viewed as an honest journeyman, has transformed himself into one of the most valuable players in Kovac’s squad.
Diligent in normal play, Ryerson’s deliveries from open or set play situations can be devilish and he recently crafted all four goals in the same game against Mainz. Yan Couto, more adventurous going forward but less secure defensively, must fulfill that role against Bayern.
At least Nico Schlotterbeck will return to anchor the Dreierkette (back three) in front of Kobel, whose 11 clean sheets top the Bundesliga goalkeeping charts. BVB will require energy and guile in abundance from Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha in midfield against the formidable duo of Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic.
Saturday is due to be another day of Verkehrschaos in Dortmund and there have been a few recently. This one is due to industrial action by the trade union, Verdi, knocking out the Stadtbahn (city train/tram service) and bus lines. Fans have been urged to walk the 40 minutes from the Stadtzentrum (city center) to the Signal Iduna Park.
Thereafter, there’s a very real danger that in 90 minutes, Dortmund’s season could effectively disappear in a puff of smoke. Already out of the Champions League and the DFB-Pokal, defeat in the Klassiker would make an Aufholjagd unthinkable.
-
Tech1 week agoA $10K Bounty Awaits Anyone Who Can Hack Ring Cameras to Stop Sharing Data With Amazon
-
Business7 days agoUS Top Court Blocks Trump’s Tariff Orders: Does It Mean Zero Duties For Indian Goods?
-
Fashion7 days agoICE cotton ticks higher on crude oil rally
-
Entertainment7 days agoThe White Lotus” creator Mike White reflects on his time on “Survivor
-
Tech1 week agoDonald Trump Jr.’s Private DC Club Has Mysterious Ties to an Ex-Cop With a Controversial Past
-
Sports7 days agoBrett Favre blasts NFL for no longer appealing to ‘true’ fans: ‘There’s been a slight shift’
-
Business6 days agoEye-popping rise in one year: Betting on just gold and silver for long-term wealth creation? Think again! – The Times of India
-
Fashion1 week agoIndia’s $28 bn reset: How 5 trade deals will reprice its T&A exports

