NFL confident in 'great team' maintaining grass for Super Bowl

Plenty of criticism surrounded the field conditions at Super Bowl LVII in 2023, but the NFL says the grass is in good hands leading up to this year's big game.

Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's executive vice president of club business and league events, told Tashan Reed of The Athletic that the league has a "great team" looking after the field at Nevada's Allegiant Stadium for Super Bowl LVIII.

"We have brought in - as we do each year - a brand new natural grass surface that is currently installed in the field tray outside Allegiant Stadium," O'Reilly said Thursday. "That has been in for a little bit now and is working through all of our standard testing procedures that will take place over the time from installation all the way up through that Saturday right before the game.

"Those adjustments and a core maintenance program are in place, so we have an optimal field on game day. We have a great team maintaining it as we head up to the Super Bowl."

Players struggled to keep their footing throughout last year's Super Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, with the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35. Longtime NFL groundskeeper George Toma said he believed the poor field conditions resulted from the grass being overwatered.

Super Bowl LVIII is scheduled to take place on Feb. 11. It'll mark the first time Nevada has hosted a Super Bowl.