The Kansas City Chiefs came out with a statement win in Week 1 as they took down the Arizona Cardinals in their own home stadium, 44-21. It came with a cost, though, with the Chiefs losing defensive back Trent McDuffie and kicker Harrison Butker due to respective injuries during the game.
For his part, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid was quick to call out the sub-par condition of the Cardinals' home field as the primary cause behind his players' injuries. Arizona was having none of it, though, with Cardinals spokesman Mark Dalton purposefuly clapping back at Reid's rather surprising criticism (via Mike Florio of PFT):
“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,” Dalton said via text message. “That’s more than enough time for the Tifway Bermuda 419 hybrid sod to take root, especially in 109 degrees and abundant sunshine.”
The Cardinals spokesperson went all technical here as he attempted to refute Reid's rather malicious claim. Dalton wasn't done, too. He went on to proudly talk up the high standards they implement on the maintenance of their world-class pitch:
“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.”
That's some high praise from the Cardinals on their own home field. Then again, you can't really blame them after Reid was critical of the conditions in the State Farm Stadium. Arizona has invested a lot of money in their stadium, and it is quite understandable that they have taken offense at Reid and his comments.
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