You Won't Believe How Turf Toe Took Down 5 NFL Stars—The Shocking Truth Revealed!

Every football season, there’s an injury that disrupts the game and often goes misunderstood: turf toe. Despite its frequency, this injury has been mischaracterized since its naming, particularly when high-profile players like Joe Burrow or Brock Purdy are sidelined. The humble toe may seem trivial, but the implications can be significant for players, teams, and seasons.

To understand the complexity of turf toe, we can trace it back to a study published in Medicine and Science in Sports in 1976 by researchers from West Virginia University. They examined the University’s football seasons from 1970 to 1974 and identified a concerning uptick in injuries related to the “plantar capsule-ligament complex of the great toe metatarsophalangeal joint.” This refers to the ligaments around the big toe, and the authors noted 27 such injuries during those seasons, attributing the increase to factors such as surface hardness and shoe stiffness. They labeled this condition “turf toe,” a term that has since become widely accepted but remains contentious.

When Burrow's turf toe injury impacted a promising season for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, or when Purdy suffered the same fate in San Francisco’s opener, skepticism arose again. A toe injury? Really? Yes, it’s crucial, and it's time to take it seriously. Sports Illustrated undertook an exploration to separate fact from fiction regarding turf toe, emphasizing that this injury is not only severe but also incredibly painful.

Former NFL backup quarterback Jordan Palmer, now a private quarterback coach, provides a compelling analogy: “Remember how the mafia was said to handle many of its problems? They broke thumbs, not pinkies. Broken pinkies could be endured. Broken thumbs made every minute of every day more difficult.” This analogy underscores the importance of the big toe in movement, balance, and athletic performance.

Palmer elaborates, “You use your big toe in terms of creating movement more than any other part of your foot. [Everything] connects to that big toe. You use it to decelerate. You use it to change direction. You use it in creating movement, applying force to the ground to create leverage.” His insights align with the findings from the 1976 study, which detailed how injuries to the plantar capsule-ligament complex occur when athletes exceed their foot’s natural range of motion.

The original study concluded that a “relatively flexible” shoe worn on a “relatively hard” surface could help prevent turf toe injuries. However, many studies since then have drawn inconclusive results regarding the best ways to mitigate this risk. In fact, Sports Illustrated found that the essential elements highlighted in the original research—shoe type and playing surface—remain contentious even after nearly five decades.

Over the past few weeks, SI reached out to 20 NFL players diagnosed with turf toe injuries. Only two retired players responded, showing just how painful and debilitating this injury can be. Bart Scott, a former linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets, shared his own experience with turf toe. Diagnosed in 2012, Scott’s injury was labeled as turf toe but was, in fact, more severe, involving a torn ligament and damage to a nearby bone. He played through the pain for 13 weeks, even modifying his cleats to accommodate the injury.

“I was playing with nine toes,” Scott remarked, emphasizing the severity of his condition and the common misunderstanding surrounding turf toe. He detailed how his foot felt “literally in the air” the entire season, as he jerry-rigged his cleats for comfort while still suffering significant limitations in performance. Scott’s situation illustrates the broader issue: turf toe injuries vary in severity, and the term encompasses a range of injuries that can significantly affect a player’s career.

The evolution of playing surfaces, from the original AstroTurf to today's more sophisticated synthetic materials, has implications for turf toe injuries. Warren Moon, a Hall of Fame quarterback, recalls the challenges he faced with turf toe while playing on AstroTurf in the 1990s, noting that the hard surface contributed significantly to his injury. As the NFL has transitioned to newer synthetic surfaces like FieldTurf, players have hoped for a decrease in injury rates. Yet, studies indicate that synthetic fields still lead to higher rates of lower-body injuries, including turf toe.

According to research published by the American Journal of Sports Medicine, from 2012 to 2016, synthetic turf contributed to 16% more lower-extremity injuries compared to grass. An NFL Players Association study revealed that 92% of players preferred grass fields, citing concerns over injury risks associated with artificial surfaces.

The continuing debate around turf toe reflects deeper issues in the sport. Despite advances in technology and player safety, the fundamental understanding of how injuries occur and how to prevent them remains elusive. The exploration of turf toe highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the complexities of foot injuries in football.

As player safety continues to be a focal point in the NFL, the narrative surrounding turf toe must shift. It’s not just a “toe injury.” It’s a condition that can sideline an athlete for significant periods and impact their performance long after they've returned to play. The more we understand about turf toe, the better equipped we will be to address the needs of the athletes who face its debilitating effects.