MetLife turf strikes Fins’ edge rusher
MetLife Stadium claimed another unfortunate victim on Friday night — Dolphins standout pass rusher Jaelan Phillips.
Phillips, who had a sack in the Dolphins’ 34-13 win over the Jets on the firstever Black Friday NFL game, suffered a noncontact Achilles injury during the third quarter of the AFC East battle and was carted off the field.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters in his postgame press conference that he didn’t have clarity on the injury but did not appear optimistic about things.
“It doesn’t look great, but we’ll find out more tomorrow. … I’m not fired up about it,” McDaniel said.
Miami safety Jevon Holland, whose pick-six at the end of the first half changed the momentum of the game, ripped MetLife Stadium’s turf after the game.
“Since I’ve been in the league, I’ve heard the field is trash,” Holland said, according to the Associated Press. “I don’t know the statistics or anything like that, but I do know turf does increase the chances of getting hurt.”
Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert was especially disturbed afterward, lamenting about MetLife Stadium, a place where Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers saw his season end on opening night with an Achilles injury.
“It’s tough, especially playing on this turf,” Mostert said, according to the AP. “No player wants to go down with a significant injury. You saw what happened to Rodgers, his very first game within the first series. It just sucks, man.
“For [Phillips], he’s going to have his space right. He’s going to get his mental right and be back stronger and better than ever. We’ve got to do something about this turf and this playing surface. Obviously, there is still a major problem. It just has to change.”
In an anonymous poll released by The Athletic Stadium earlier this week, MetLife Stadium was named the players’ least favorite stadium to play in, with the turf being among the central reasons for the low ranking.
Phillips had 6.5 sacks in eight games this season and had become a key component of the Dolphins’ defense since being selected No. 18 overall in the 2021 draft. The edge rusher has 22 career sacks in three seasons.