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San Francisco 49ers complain about field conditions at Las Vegas practice facility

As Sunday’s Super Bowl contest looms, the San Francisco 49ers are complaining about the quality of their practice field’s surface, calling it “spongy” and suggesting the seams left from an overlay of sod onto artificial turf could create footing issues.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, however, says the University of Nevada at Las Vegas practice field meets the proper thresholds necessary for practice sessions.

Goodell says the field may be softer than what the 49ers are accustomed to, but added league experts and the NFL players’ association say the surface is playable. A spokesperson for the players’ union refutes the NFLPA made any such claim.

Sunday’s game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas will be played atop a natural grass “tray” that will cover the field’s artificial turf. The tray is maintained with water and is subjected to natural sunlight. It marks the second straight year that such a system has been used for the Super Bowl game.

The Philadelphia Eagles, who played the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 Bowl game, complained about the field conditions at last year’s contest, saying it was slippery and contributed to their loss.