Panthers have 2 weeks to re-sod, improve ‘soft’ turf

After two games at Bank of America Stadium in a five-day span made for less than ideal footing Sunday, stadium workers will have two weeks to improve it before the Panthers host a divisional-round game the weekend of Jan. 16-17.

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and several players slipped on the grass during Carolina’s 38-10 win against Tampa Bay. Most of the issues were in the middle of the field after N.C. State and Mississippi State played four hours in the rain during Wednesday’s Belk Bowl.

“They’ll get it right. They’ve got two weeks before we play on it again,” Panthers tight end Greg Olsen said. “Obviously the circumstances of the week, you kind of knew coming in. It was kind of the perfect storm with the (bowl) game and the weather. It’s the way it goes. It wasn’t a huge factor.”

Olsen said he wore his normal cleats on the field, which will be re-sodded before the playoff game. Workers have already re-sodded the field twice because of the wet October in Charlotte.

Bucs tight end Cameron Brate said he slipped on the turf when the Panthers’ Robert McClain intercepted a pass intended for him .

“(The turf) wasn’t the best,” said Brate. “But their players were falling down too. It was definitely a little soft, which is not ideal.”

This story was originally published January 3, 2016 at 9:56 PM with the headline "Panthers have 2 weeks to re-sod, improve ‘soft’ turf."