Shoes melt as turf reaches 157F in Eagles' 24-20 win over Titans in Nashville

Philadelphia Eagles beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville on Sunday in a game at Nissan Stadium where the artificial turf reached 157F (69.4C), according to the Fox broadcast.

Nashville was under a heat warning for the game, which kicked off at noon local time; the air temperature was 95F (35C) with a heat index of 105F (40.5C), while the surface inside the stadium bowl was reported to be much hotter.

Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni described the conditions after the game, saying, "It was hot as shit, everybody was as hot as shit," and adding, "I didn't play a snap and I had to get an IV. I … appreciate how much the players fought through because it wasn't easy."

Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata linked the extreme field temperatures to concerns about artificial turf and the players' union push for a ban, stating, "I've never thought about how hot a stadium can be if it's turf. [The heat] just sits there and bounces up into you," and, "[The union] have got to bring it up. This is why we want all grass fields, to create a standard of play in the league where we're not putting players in dangerous positions if we don't have to."

The Fox broadcast showed water being poured on players' shoes to keep them cool, and Cam Jurgens said he had to replace his cleats several times because they melted, adding, "Half-time was like a Nascar pit crew helping me get ready for the second half," and, "That turf was just radiating."

Conditions had also been difficult for Tennessee in their season opener against the New York Jets the previous week; Titans safety Amani Hooker said the midsole on one of his shoes "melted completely off," and ESPN reported that some players and staff questioned why the league scheduled an afternoon kickoff in September in a city known for its hot and humid conditions.

There has been attention in recent years on college players who have died while training in high temperatures. Former Eagles safety Reed Blankenship had to leave a game in 2024 with a heat-related illness.