Why are players slipping at the 2025 NFL combine? Behind the new turf, field pellets at Lucas Oil Stadium

A new surface at the combine could be part of the issue

NFL prospects flooded the field at Lucas Oil Stadium Thursday for the start of the 2025 scouting combine's on-field drills. A good chunk of the players could hardly keep their footing, however, with linemen in particular seen slipping and sliding across the turf. Now we might know why.

It turns out the turf itself is different from previous years, according to ESPN, with the traditional padding of rubber pellets replaced by more "environmentally friendly infill."

The new infill is an organic blend of cork and coconut husks, per FootballBettors.com, and is designed to mimic actual grass more than artificial turf. Technically speaking, this makes the surface slightly "slower," adding shock absorption and traction, whereas typical turf with rubber pellets offers a "firmer, springier base," as Forbes puts it. The new turf also requires "periodic watering to maintain its properties," providing an altogether different experience for the players moving atop the artificial grass.

The NFL Players Association had been advocating for the new turf, according to Sports Illustrated, which is noticeable for not only the more slippery 2025 results but the brownish color of the new pellets.

The change comes a year after Xavier Worthy set a new record for the fastest 40-yard dash ever recorded.