© Chris Pedota, NorthJ | 2020 Sep 20
The 49ers don’t believe the myriad of serious leg injuries sustained during their game vs. the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday was a coincidence.
“As far as the feeling on the sidelines, that’s as many knee injuries and ankle stuff and people getting caught on a turf as I’ve ever been a part of,” Kyle Shanahan said after the 49ers’ 31-13 win. “From what I saw, the other team did too. I know our players talked about it the entire game, just how sticky the turf was and it was the first time people played on it, I think. It was something our guys were concerned about right away. And the results definitely made that a lot stronger, and unfortunately it’s a place we have to go back to next week.”
Sunday was the first NFL game played at MetLife since the turf was resurfaced this offseason. The 49ers believe that both Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas have sustained ACL injuries, which if true would almost certainly end their seasons. Jimmy Garoppolo is believed to have a high ankle sprain, which would likely keep him out 4-6 weeks. Raheem Mostert’s knee injury does not currently have a time table.
Perhaps worst of all, the 49ers will be returning to MetLife next week to play the Giants.
“Fix this trash met life turf,” Arik Armstead tweeted at the NFL directly after the game. “2020 is so wack.”
“You see guys you love go down and get hurt and we have to come back here and play again on the same surface and that’s anxiety-provoking to see that happen,” Armstead said to reporters. “To know that you have to deal with that again.”