‘I needed an IV’: Shoes melt as turf temperature reaches 69.4C in Eagles-Titans game

Eagles coach says game was ‘hot as shit’ as Cam Jurgens had to replace cleats several times

TOUCHDOWN: Philly's Darius Cooper catches the game winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. Pic: Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images

The Tennessee Titans were happy to get off the field on Sunday, and not just because they lost their second game in a row.

Amid sweltering conditions in Nashville, the temperature on the artificial turf at Nissan Stadium reached 157F (69.4C), according to the Fox broadcast.

“It was hot as shit, everybody was as hot as shit,” Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said after his team’s 24-20 win. “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.” 

Nashville was under a heat warning for Sunday’s game, which kicked off at noon local time. The air temperature was 95F (35C) with a heat index of 105F (40.5C). However, inside the bowl of the stadium the surface of the artificial turf was much hotter.

Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata said the temperatures were another reason for the players union to push for a ban on artificial turf.

“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,” Mailata said. “[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 Mailata’s teammate Cam Jurgens said he had to replace his cleats several times because they melted.

“Half-time was like a Nascar pit crew helping me get ready for the second half,” Jurgens said. “That turf was just radiating.” 

Conditions were also tough last week in Tennessee’s season opener against the New York Jets. In that game, Titans safety Amani Hooker said the midsole on one of his shows “melted completely off”.

ESPN reported that some players and staff had 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, and former Eagles safety Reed Blankenship had to leave a game in 2024 with a heat-related illness.

Darius Cooper caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts with nine seconds left and Philadelphia rallied past Tennessee.

Hurts led a 65-yard drive after Joey Slye converted a 33-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining to give the Titans (0-2) a 20-17 edge. Hurts' 19-yard completion to DeVonta Smith got the ball to the 3 with 14 seconds remaining, setting the stage for the game-winner for Philadelphia (2-0). Hurts completed 26 of 37 passes for ​264 yards and two scores along with two interceptions, and Smith caught 10 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Cam Ward rushed for two touchdowns for Tennessee and hit on 13 of 20 passes for 183 yards. He tied the game at 17 on a 1-yard run around the left side with 57 seconds left in the third quarter.

HOT AND COLD: Tennessee's Jeffery Simmons at a boiling Nissan Stadium.

Meanwhile Dak Prescott became the Cowboys' all-time leader in touchdown passes as Dallas posted a 37-20 victory over the Washington Commanders. Washington lost franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels to a dislocated left elbow on the final play of the first half on Sunday in Arlington.

Prescott's fourth TD pass of the game to CeeDee Lamb in the fourth quarter set the record for career TD passes, eclipsing Tony Romo's mark of 248. Prescott completed 26 of 31 passes for 279 yards. Lamb had eight catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns for Dallas (1-1).

The Commanders (0-2) were at the Cowboys' 1 with 3 seconds left in the first half and, down 17-10, went for a game-tying touchdown instead of a field-goal attempt. As the ball was snapped, Daniels was stepped on by left guard Chris Paul. Daniels put his left arm on the turf to avoid going ​down for a sack and his arm buckled under his body weight as he threw an incompletion.

Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed Daniels has a dislocated left below, that X-rays did not show a fracture and the quarterback will undergo more imaging tests on Monday. He had 69 yards rushing on seven carries and completed 11 ‌of 17 passes for 96 yards and a TD before leaving the game.

In East Rutherford, Green Bay rookie Trey Smack kicked a game-winning 26-yard field goal with 5:23 remaining in overtime to defeat the New York Jets 20-17 in rainy conditions.

The Kansas City Chiefs edged Indianapolis 33-30, again in OT. Harrison Butker kicked four field goals, including a 40-yard field goal as time expired in overtime.

Patrick Mahomes completed 32 of 47 passes for 382 yards and three touchdowns for the Chiefs (2-0). Kenneth Walker III rushed for 117 yards on 24 carries and tacked on 61 more yards on six receptions. Travis Kelce caught nine passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, and Xavier Worthy and ​Jalen Royals also had scoring receptions for Kansas City.

Daniel Jones completed 22 of 31 passes for 210 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Colts (0-2), who lost their ninth straight game dating back to last season. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries and added 40 yards on four receptions. Tyler Warren had a scoring reception and Josh Downs caught seven passes for 72 yards for Indianapolis.

Guardian/Agencies