The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority approved Thursday a $1.3 million project for new artificial turf at U.S. Bank Stadium before the 2024 season, putting the Vikings on track to play on a surface the NFL has assessed as less of an injury risk than the venue's current field. The slit film turf that was installed in 2019 will be torn up early next year and replaced by a monofilament surface that league and union data have determined to be safer and the most like natural grass. The NFL Players Association has called for all stadiums to switch to grass.