NFL star Von Miller left Pat McAfee speechless as he revealed just how bad the turf is at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Buffalo Bills linebacker, 34, made the comments during an appearance on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show on Thursday.
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Miller started for the Bills as they lost 25-20 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London last Sunday.
Linebacker Matt Milano and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones were both injured during the contest.
Both players are set for surgery and will miss the remainder of the season, with their Bills colleagues furious at being asked to play on “concrete.”
Speaking on McAfee’s ESPN show, the former Super Bowl MVP was incredulous that “high-class athletes” had to play on the surface.
Miller said: “I really couldn’t believe we had high-class athletes playing on this stuff.”
A shocked McAfee replied: “Really? I’ve not heard this Von, what is it?”
Miller continued: “It was insane. It was hard and tight.
“It just felt stiff, it didn’t feel like it had any padding underneath.
“I’ve been playing in the league for 13 years and that’s some of the worst turf I’ve played on.”
The turf at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is artificial, not grass, and was designed specifically with football in mind.
Soccer is usually played at the stadium on a retractable grass field, with the NFL turf hidden underneath.
The technology might be state of the art, but Bills cornerback Taron Johnson echoed Miller’s sentiments after Sunday’s game.
He raged: “The turf was terrible here. They have to get rid of it – report that. If we can do grass, we should do grass.”
The Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans are preparing to play in Tottenham this Sunday.
And Ravens receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is another player who wants grass to become a permanent fixture in the NFL.
Beckham told reporters: “It’s something people have seen me talk about on Twitter and it sounds like I’m the one being a baby and complaining, yet you see a lot of major injuries happen on turf.
“Just look at the results. Look at how many major injuries have happened on it.”
