The quality of the 49ers’ practice field in Las Vegas has become an unforeseen storyline in the build up to Sunday’s Super Bowl between San Francisco and the Kansas City Chiefs.
While the NFL has claimed the sod laid atop the turf at UNLV’s practice field is within the league’s acceptable standard, the 49ers have raised a concern that the sod is too soft.
There was talk that the team might try to alter its practice plans to work out at a difference facility, but head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday after a walk-through practice indicated the sod is improving and that the team would move forward practicing at UNLV.
While the issue appears to be resolved for now, NFL Players Association president JC Tretter spoke about the lack of quality on San Francisco’s practice field.
Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal had the quote:
NFLPA President JC Tretter takes on Goodell's claims that the 49ers practice field is adequate:
"Playable is not the same standard as high quality. That’s not what we should be doing… We want high quality surfaces to play on and practice on, and we don’t have that down there.”
— Ben Fischer (@BenFischerSBJ) February 7, 2024
It’s a good point and likely the 49ers’ sticking point in the entire issue. The field wasn’t such a disaster that it wasn’t playable, but they’re in the process of preparing for the biggest game of the year. Kansas City has the benefit of practicing at an NFL facility. The 49ers are on a makeshift field of sod so they don’t have to practice on potentially harmful turf.
Even if the poor conditions aren’t a player safety problem, they could certainly affect the 49ers’ preparations in a game where every possible advantage matters.
The NFL isn’t going to move the Super Bowl back or anything to accommodate San Francisco, and this can’t be an excuse should the 49ers struggle in Sunday’s game, but this will be something the league will have to ensure isn’t an issue in the leadup to future Super Bowls.
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