Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh has been around football for decades.
But the high temperatures radiating from Nissan Stadium’s turf the past two weeks stumped him.
Titans safety Kevin Winston Jr. was getting his cleats sprayed with water during the 24-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 20, when FOX showed on-field temperatures reaching 157 degrees.
“I don't know if I've ever seen cleats get sprayed with water before,” Saleh said Sept. 21.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni told reporters afterward that he had to receive IV fluids. A week earlier, the midsole on one of Titans safety Amani Hooker’s cleats “melted” off against the New York Jets in Week 1.
There were no unrelated equipment issues, Saleh added. Nashville has just been that hot, as a high-pressure heat dome formed directly over Middle Tennessee and brought record-setting temperatures.
The Titans set the mark for the second-hottest game ever at Nissan Stadium in each of their first two weeks. The stadium opened in 1999.
Against the Eagles, the heat index at kickoff was 98 degrees and the air temperature was 92, just shy of the 93-degree record set against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 15, 2019.
Nissan Stadium doesn’t release medical figures from events, but a spokesperson said some fans last week were treated for heat issues. Ticket holders were emailed beforehand with tips and information about the stadium’s cooling and water-filling stations.
Titans players actually got some relief from a loosened NFL rule in 2026: The league allows shading for bench areas now.
Reactions from the Titans were varied because they’ve trained in these conditions. Receiver Elic Ayomanor described it as a non-issue. Defensive end Jacob Martin said his cleats were fine, but he could tell the turf was hot.
There was still an adjustment to make: The Titans practice on natural grass, which Hooker estimated sits around 80 to 90 degrees.
The Eagles dealt with a bigger extreme as they enjoyed autumn-like temperatures in Philadelphia the week of the game.
“Someone brought it up yesterday that Jeffery Simmons' cleats melted last week. I was like, 'Yeah, bull(expletive),’ ” Philadelphia left tackle Jordan Mailata said after the game. “But I came out here and I was like, I can see why they melted. It's like a very deceiving heat out there. It just sucks everything out of you.”
Mailata was the Eagles’ NFL Players Association rep last season. He used the heat conversation to promote natural grass over artificial playing surfaces in the NFL.
“It was hot as (expletive) and everybody was hot as (expletive),” Sirianni said. “It took all hands on deck, and like I said, I didn't play a snap and I had to get an IV.”
The Titans likely won’t have to deal with this much longer. Tennessee’s heat wave is expected to break Sept. 22. The team has an East Coast road swing next: at the New York Giants (Sept. 27), and at the Baltimore Ravens (Oct. 4), where temperatures are mild.
“I think last week was a little hotter. It was still hot,” Hooker said. “My shoes (against the Eagles) still melted a little bit.”
Tyler Palmateer covers the Tennessee Titans for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How hot was turf for Titans vs. Eagles? ‘It just sucks everything out of you’
