The NFL spent two years growing and preparing the field that would be used at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona for Super Bowl 57. Just over two weeks after the game ended, the field remains a topic of discussion — for all the wrong reasons.
All the confetti and Gatorade showers are long gone and the media and players are now firmly in offseason mode. Yet time apparently doesn't heal all wounds. The embarrassing field conditions will continue to haunt the league, as well as longtime groundskeeper, George Toma.
The 94-year-old, who has worked every Super Bowl, spoke about the field's performance, telling ESPN he believes the issues could have been avoided.
MORE: Super Bowl 57 grass: Why Chiefs, Eagles players were slipping on 'hybrid' turf field
Why was the Super Bowl 57 field so bad?
Toma claimed the field was overwatered in the days leading up to the big game, adding the field was watered Wednesday morning and then rolled into the stadium to prepare for the Sunday kickoff.
State Farm Stadium's field is on a gigantic tray, allowing the venue to slide the grass out into the desert sun when not in use.
Today, the staff at State Farm Stadium rolled the Super Bowl LVII field outside for some sun:pic.twitter.com/dBm9HsZseP
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 8, 2023
Toma, nicknamed the "Sodfather," said the field should've been left outside to dry before being moved inside. He took aim at the NFL's field director, Ed Mangan, who was in charge of the Super Bowl playing surface. Mangan worked under Toma for years, but that didn't stop the Sodfather from criticizing the way the field was handled prior to kickoff.
"He waters the hell out of it and puts it right into the stadium and that's it," Toma said of Mangan. "Never sees sunlight again. He can't do that."
Toma added that because the field didn't have enough time to dry, the tarp used to protect the surface from rehearsals for the pregame, halftime, and postgame shows caused the turf to have an odor. Eventually, Toma said, he was told the field began to rot and decay.
From Mic'd Up: #Eagles and #Chiefs players spent most of the Super Bowl complaining about the bad condition of the field.pic.twitter.com/ymAfW4xZNa
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 16, 2023
The criticisms didn't stop there.
The groundskeeper then proceeded to take aim at Mangan for the lack of sand in the field. "He sanded it two weeks late," Toma said. "He had only one sanding. He should have two or three sandings, but he didn't do s---. And that was it. And not only that, he didn't take care of it. He wouldn't listen to anybody."
The field for Super Bowl 57 was the last that Toma will work on, as he retired following the event. Toma spent over 80 years in the groundskeeping business. He was honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001 and inducted into the Major League Baseball Groundskeepers Hall of Fame in 2012.
It appears that Toma is looking forward to moving on, telling ESPN, "I can't take it anymore." He added that he hasn't been happy with how the league has dealt with field problems at previous Super Bowl sites.
"Me and the league are finished," Toma said. "They can't tell me what to do anymore. We're done."
Player were seen slipping all game long, changing cleats to try and find some traction. Video of Eagles kicker Jake Elliott slipping on a kickoff became one of the lasting images from the game.
This field is bad. Jake Elliott slips on the kickoff. pic.twitter.com/6Xhf54oteR
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulli) February 13, 2023
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The NFL put out a statement the day after the Super Bowl saying, "The State Farm Stadium field surface met the required standards for the maintenance of natural grass surfaces, as per NFL policy. The natural grass surface was tested throughout Super Bowl week and was in compliance with all mandatory NFL practices."
Despite the statement, players didn't hold back voicing their displeasure. Eagles defensive end Haason Reddick said, "I'm not going to lie, it's the worst field I ever played on."
The field conditions at the Super Bowl were an issue and frankly embarrassing considering the magnitude of the game. These are just some examples. pic.twitter.com/Qd7Wjk8WgS
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) February 13, 2023
Toma told NPR in Kansas City that the field for Super Bowl 57 cost $750,000.
