Packers QB Jordan Love’s Injury Reveals Bigger Issue for NFL

Jordan Love (10) of the Green Bay Packers receives treatment on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sept. 6, 2024. Wagner Meier/Getty Images

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love’s injury amid a slippery turf field late in a 34–29 defeat is raising a bigger concern for the league.

Packers and Philadelphia Eagles players slipped and slid all over the turf at Corinthians Arena during the league’s first-ever game in Brazil. It happened in key moments throughout the game, such as Eagles running back Saquon Barkley slipping for a 5-yard loss on his first carry to backup Packers quarterback Malik Willis slipping on the final play of the game.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni both made their concerns known at halftime during the game broadcast. NFL players and fans chimed in on social media, and Packers and Eagles players alike voiced their thoughts afterward.

“I mean, y'all saw out there that it was kind of rough to get traction,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts told reporters. “Definitely challenging on that field. It’s not the type of field we’re used to playing on. We’ve had that type of field before. They had to play on it as well. I’m just happy that we found a way to figure it out as a team, overcome it.”

Normally a soccer field, Corinthians Arena houses the SC Corinthians pro team in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The 68,727-seat stadium hosted World Cup games in 2014 and Olympic soccer in 2016.

“Soccer fields are made for speed and agility. Smaller bodies gliding across the surface with minimal contact,” former NFL star J.J. Watt wrote on X. “They are not properly conditioned to have the size & strength of NFL players cutting, pushing, and driving all game on them. This is common at international games.”

Playing in soccer stadiums is the norm for the NFL when playing overseas, and slippery turf has been a quagmire for the league in international games. Now, the NFL could face a major loss in a marquee quarterback for a premiere franchise in Week 1 of the season due in part to the turf conditions.

“I mean, obviously, you don’t want to see any of your teammates get hurt, but obviously you don’t want to see the leader of your team get hurt,” Packers running back Josh Jacobs told reporters after the game. “So we don’t know the severity of his injury but hopefully he’s OK.”

The NFL has more international games scheduled this year, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wants even more.

“The ownership’s approved eight games already,” Goodell said during the broadcast. “I hope to get that to 16 at some point in the future. Let’s see how that goes.”

As Hurts mentioned, turf issues aren’t limited to international games. Eagles players haven’t forgotten the slippery field conditions of the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona where the team lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 38–35.

“It kind of reminded me of the Super Bowl turf,” Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert told reporters.

“I ran a route full speed when we did the walkthrough [Thursday], slipped, and I said, ‘I’m not going to make the same mistake twice, I’m going to seven studs,’” he said.

Packers players face more adjustments after dealing with the slippery turf—regardless of how long Love will be sidelined. The former 2020 first-round draft pick took the reins from Aaron Rodgers last year and led the team to the playoffs, and the Packers could now see Willis—or another quarterback—taking snaps on Sundays.

“We’re waiting. Obviously, we’re very concerned about it. We'll wait to find out when we do more tests,” LaFleur told reporters after the game.