Aussie Jordan Mailata slams ‘terrible’ $1.1m Super Bowl ‘water park’

Despite spending $1.1 million on the Super Bowl, players couldn’t stop slipping over on a field Aussie Jordan Mailata labelled a “water park”.

Jordan Mailata said the field was like a water park.

Despite the NFL spending $1.16m on developing a field for State Farm Stadium that took 11 months to grow, the surface for Super Bowl LVII was still remarkably not up to scratch, with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes going down late in the first half with an ankle injury.

Social media blew up about the sub-standard conditions, with the field visibly being torn up through the middle on the television broadcast.

Players on both sides were slipping on the grass, which is prepared by a local turf grower in Phoenix.

Watch Philadelphia Eagles v Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, LIVE on ESPN on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

It is kept on a football field-sized, metre-deep tray that can be rolled in and out of the stadium as required, similarly to the drop-in pitches used at most cricket grounds around Australia, except for the SCG.

The NFL has spent two years preparing the grass for tonight's field at the Super Bowl.

The grass was grown at a local sod farm in Phoenix.

It was installed two weeks ago, and the field has been rolled out each morning for daily sunshine.

Total cost = $800,000 pic.twitter.com/Um8zZala2O

— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) February 12, 2023

However, the abundance of NFL logos painted onto the field seem to be responsible for the players slipping over, with former Chiefs GM Scott Piolo noticing the size of the Super Bowl logos.

Pioli said on Twitter that slipping over on painted areas of the field was “not uncommon on grass.”

This field is absolutely atrocious

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) February 13, 2023

“Those Super Bowl logos are HUGE and cover almost all grass between hashes from 17-yd line to 33-yd line,” Pioli said.

“Looks like much more paint than usual.

“Potential player safety issue?”

Patrick Mahomes aggravated his ankle injury after slipping over. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Patrick Mahomes’ Super Bowl was nearly ended by some slippery turf. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Another key moment in the first half saw Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker miss a 42-yard field goal, hitting the upright and missing with scores tied at 7-7, and appearing to slip on the painted Super Bowl logo as he made the kick.

Eagles kicker Jake Elliott also slipped over attempting a field goal at the start of the fourth quarter.

The NFL should be ashamed for this joke of a field for the SUPER BOWL. pic.twitter.com/GgnyYc09M4

— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) February 13, 2023

The @NFL can put Rihanna on a window washer platform at halftime but can’t get a decent playing surface. 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

— Skip Foster (@skipfoster) February 13, 2023

Aussie Jordan Mailata, offensive tackle for the Eagles, said it was extremely hard to keep his footing on the field, likening the slippery surface to “a water park”

“It was terrible,” the Eagles’ offensive tackle said.

“But the Kansas City Chiefs had to play on it too and to be fair, they said it was terrible too so I’m we were on the same page.

“I’m not a grass expert. It was slick, you couldn’t anchor. You had to get your whole foot in the ground, if you tried to use your toe, it would slip.

“You saw the receivers (slipping over). It was like a water park out there and we’re playing on grass.

Jordan Mailata said the field was like a water park. Photo: Twitter.

Former Pittsburgh QB Terry Bradshaw slammed the NFL for “painting the whole field”, as Eagles QB Jalen Hurts changed his cleats in order to cope with the slippery surface.

It hasn’t seemed to hinder Hurts, becoming the first quarterback in Super Bowl history to have three rushing touchdowns in a game to tie the match at 35-35 with 5 minutes remaining on a two-point conversion.

Mahomes returned to the game after recieving treatment for his injured ankle, leading the Chiefs to a 38-35 victory off the back of 182 passing yards, the franchise’s third Super Bowl and second with Mahomes at the helm.

Originally published as Aussie Jordan Mailata slams ‘terrible’ $1.1m Super Bowl ‘water park’