Rooney Wants to Stay with Grass field at Heinz Field

Two days after rookie running back Baron Batch blew out his left knee while practicing on artificial turf, Steelers chairman emeritus Dan Rooney on Friday said he is in favor of sticking with grass at Heinz Field according to Scott Brown of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The surface always ranks at or near the bottom of the rankings in surveys of NFL players. But the Steelers players have said they like playing on grass, which quarterback Ben Roethlisberger reiterated after Batch tore his ACL at the end of a run Wednesday.

“I think natural grass is a positive from a lot of standpoints,” Rooney said.

The surface at Heinz Field gets a lot of use — from the Steelers to Pitt to high school championship games, not to mention concerts. The field absorbs enough wear and tear, Rooney said, and there may come a time when it has to be replaced annually.