Photo: Johnnie Izquierdo / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
During Sunday's (September 20) NFL game in Nashville, extreme heat caused players' cleats to melt on the field. The Philadelphia Eagles secured a 24-20 victory over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium, where temperatures on the synthetic turf soared to 157 degrees Fahrenheit. Eagles offensive lineman Cam Jurgens mentioned that his feet were burning and he had to switch cleats multiple times due to melting.
Television cameras captured a Titans player having his cleats sprayed with water to keep them cool. Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata expressed that such conditions are a reason for the players' union to push for the removal of artificial turf in the NFL. The Titans switched to synthetic turf in 2023, aiming for a consistent playing surface amid Nashville's challenging climate for grass growth.
According to WSMV, Titans safety Amani Hooker also experienced melted cleats during the previous week's game against the New York Jets. The ongoing high temperatures in Middle Tennessee have been nearly 10 degrees above average for September.
Despite the heat, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts led a successful 65-yard drive to secure the win, throwing a touchdown pass to Darius Cooper with just nine seconds left. The Eagles improved to 2-0 for the season, while the Titans fell to 0-2. The Titans will face the New York Giants next Sunday (September 27), while the Eagles are set to visit the Chicago Bears on Monday, September 28.