After the Bears played their only home preseason game at Soldier Field, kicker Cairo Santos called it a “reckless” decision because of the condition of the field. It was resodded this week, with Bermuda replacing Soldier Field’s traditional Kentucky bluegrass.
Santos, who makes his offseason home in Florida, prefers kicking on Bermuda.
He called the change a “great thing” if groundskeepers can maintain it.
“The other one, the grass got ripped out too easily,” Santos said, via Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. “It just became a sandy field that they spray painted green.”
Santos questioned how the sod would settle for Sunday’s game after being installed Monday. He will kick on it Friday.
It is unclear why the sod didn’t get replaced sooner as the Bears played their lone home preseason game on Aug. 13, and Bad Bunny: World’s Hottest Tour performed there Aug. 20.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus said the new surface will play faster and “that lends to our advantage.”