What might push the NFL to ditch artificial turf | Morning Newsletter

We should be getting a break from the rain. Take advantage of the beautiful clear skies with a high of 74. Make a point to have your lunch outside.

For decades, one thing has stayed consistent in the National Football League: Athletes hate playing on artificial turf. Their health concerns, ranging from physical injuries to the effects of forever chemicals, could be enough to get the league to act.

Our lead story breaks down why the NFL players’ union, along with a growing number of fed-up players, are demanding the league to replace the fields with natural grass.

— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Back in 2001, the NFL player’s union, NFLPA, asked 1,280 players to rank fields across the league. They agreed the worst was the fake grass at Philadelphia’s decrepit Veterans Stadium.

Twenty-two years later, the union is demanding the league replace turf fields in the wake of New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffering a season-ending Achilles injury when he was tackled Sept. 11 on rain-slicked turf at New York’s MetLife Stadium.

Notable quote: “In 10 of the previous 11 years, the data has shown the same exact thing — grass is significantly safer than turf when it comes to player injury rate,” JC Tretter, the NFLPA’s president, wrote in an email.

But for the first time, the players union’ is also ringing the alarm about per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are used in the turf’s manufacturing process. Also known as “forever chemicals,” they don’t break down in the environment and stay in the human body for years.

Reminder: An Inquirer investigation, Field of Dread, found that turf at the Vet’s field between 1977 and 1981 still contained 16 different types of PFAS, which the EPA has linked to cancer, asthma, thyroid disease, decreased fertility, and immunity to fight infections. Six former Philadelphia Phillies who spent parts of their careers at Veterans Stadium died from glioblastoma which is about three times the average rate of the aggressive form of brain cancer among adult men in the U.S.

Continue reading to find out which past and present Eagles are speaking out against playing on artificial turf.

There are about 20,000 illegal evictions in Philadelphia each year.

Although housing experts call the city’s eviction diversion program one of the “best designed” in the country, not all tenants get the chance to participate.

Landlords have to initiate the process. Some bypass the process because they haven’t maintained their certificate of rental suitability, which lets the city’s L&I department know it’s safe and habitable. Others fail to get a license at all.

And then there are the times that landlord-tenant cases do make it to diversion — but not until disputes have gone out of control.

Read more to understand what happens to renters when there isn’t a resolution.

Philadelphia native Kristen Welker is the new host of Meet the Press.

She was once a reporter at which local TV station?

A) NBC10

B)6ABC

C) Fox 29

D) CBS News Philadelphia

Think you know? Check your answer.

💭 Wondering: If other senators will take Fetterman’s lead and dress more casually now that the Senate’s dress code is more relaxed.

👀 Watching: After dozens of Eagles fans received crooked kelly green gear from Fanatics, the official NFL supplier said it will pause future shipments and conduct a quality control assessment.

Hint: Before it was Otherworld Philadelphia

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We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Charlene Wiltshire, who correctly guessed Monday’s answer: Halloween Nights. Email us if you know the answer.

Make the day count. I’m beginning my day feeling festive with some apple cider. Thanks for starting yours with The Inquirer ☀️.