Chicago Bears fans were more than pleased with what they saw from rookie quarterback on the gridiron - the , however, left much to be desired. On Saturday, Williams and the new-look faced off against the for the first time on home turf this preseason. But prior to kick-off, the poor state of Soldier Field was just about all faithful were talking about.
As fans and members of the media flocked to their seats, images of the turf having noticeable seams and spots began taking off on social media. According to Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs, Bears general manager Ryan Poles and assistant GM Ian Cunningham even took to the field to investigate areas of concern. At one point, Poles gathered several crew members to inspect a spot on the Bears sideline that sat in between the 25- and 30- yard lines.
Another clip showed a staffer spraying areas inside the south end zone with an unidentified substance. The reports swiftly caught the ire of fans, who slammed the inadequate upkeep of Soldier Field. “That field has always been trash.
Surprised anyone would want to play there,” one X user wrote, with another adding: “I seriously cannot wait till the Bears get a new stadium. Soldier Field is a JOKE.” Per sports anchor Kaitlin Sharkey, the grass looked to have been re-sodded after the band Metallica held two shows at Soldier Field on August 9 and 11.
Several critics denounced the Chicago Park District - which owns the stadium - for seemingly prioritizing concerts over football games..