Andy Reid Blames Chiefs’ Week 1 Injuries on Cardinals’ ‘Re-Sodded’ Playing Surface

The Kansas City Chiefs suffered two significant injuries in their season-opening victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Chiefs coach Andy Reid believes he knows exactly what led to those injuries: The playing surface at the Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium.

Kicker Harrison Butker and cornerback Trent McDuffie both suffered injuries in the game Sunday. Butker is listed as day-to-day with an ankle sprain. While McDuffie has been placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury that will sideline him for at least the next four weeks.

When asked about the injuries, Reid wasted no time attributing blame.

“They re-sodded it, which is a good thing because they practice in there,” Reid said. “But it was a little bit loose. That’s what happens sometimes when you re-sod, it’s loose.

“It was part of the Butker injury and McDuffie injury. … The turf picked up and I would tell you that that did have something to do with it. If it didn’t, I would tell you that, too. So it’s not an excuse by any means, but I mean, you all can see it. Watch the tape.”

For their part, the Cardinals are pointing out that their field is consistently ranked as one of the NFL’s best.

‘The entire field was replaced on Monday, August 22nd — the day after the last home preseason game vs. Baltimore — so it had it almost three full weeks before the Week One game vs. Kansas City,’ Cardinals spokesman Mark Dalton said via Pro Football Talk. “That’s more than enough time for the Tifway Bermuda 419 hybrid sod to take root, especially in 109 degrees and abundant sunshine.

‘The field at State Farm Stadium is routinely ranked among the best — if not THE best — among NFL players, including in surveys conducted by the NFLPA,’ Dalton said. “Like all fields, the surface at State Farm Stadium undergoes the NFL’s required testing and certification process both before and after games. Sunday it not only met but exceeded those standards.’

Only experts on “Tifway Bermuda 419” know if that makes sense.

We know that Reid and the Chiefs have a very short time to address the injuries from Sunday as they have a crucial early season matchup against the Chargers on Thursday night.