Mike Tomlin calls Acrisure Stadium field conditions 'poor' for game against Browns

Mike Tomlin joined his quarterback in expressing disappointment in the playing surface at Acrisure Stadium for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ game Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

A day after Aaron Rodgers said the grass surface was “borderline unplayable,” Tomlin said the conditions were “poor.”

Kicker Chris Boswell slipped on a 54-yard field goal attempt, and the surface may have contributed to special teams captain Miles Killebrew suffering a knee injury that Tomlin again called “significant.”

The Steelers don’t play again at Acrisure Stadium until Oct. 26 against the Green Bay Packers. A day earlier, Pitt plays N.C. State at the venue.

“I’m not concerned going forward because my understanding is that turf is going to be swapped out,” Tomlin said at his weekly press conference. “I certainly acknowledge it was a concern yesterday.”

Grounds crew members already were replacing parts of the sod immediately after the Steelers’ 23-9 victory against the Browns.

The Steelers had not played on their North Shore home surface since Sept. 14 in their home opener against Seattle. Tomlin was unaware of the conditions of the stadium’s grass surface.

“I don’t work over there,” Tomlin said. “I work over here” at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side.

Several Steelers players also weren’t complimentary of the playing conditions when asked about it Monday.

“It was kind of rough,” left tackle Broderick Jones said. “Every time I was kicking, I was kicking up a chunk of grass. … I guess that is why they are putting all new grass down.”

Jones said he didn’t have any issues four weeks earlier when the Steelers played the Seahawks. Pitt played games against Louisville and Boston College in the interim.

“I think they had just put the grass down before we played Seattle, so it wasn’t too beat up then,” Jones said.

Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. described the surface as “kind of dry.”

“(The Browns) were playing on the same field as us, so I can’t complain too much,” Porter said, “but it definitely was difficult.”

Tomlin said he had “no idea” if the unstable grass field contributed to Killebrew’s injury. Killebrew was removed from the sideline on a cart.

Although the Steelers haven’t announced the severity of Killebrew’s injury, Tomlin said the Steelers will be without him Thursday when they play the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Killebrew is in his fourth season serving as the team’s special teams captain. A renowned punt blocker, Killebrew is tied for third on the team with five special teams tackles.

“We can hurt for him as a man, as a teammate, as a brother and as an individual,” Tomlin said. “From a football perspective, one man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity. We certainly have some capable people, and there is an expectation that others step up and fill in the gaps.”