Did MetLife Stadium turf cause New York Giants LB Blake Martinez’ injury?

New York Giants linebacker Blake Martinez addresses the cause of his season-ending injury last fall, as he begins preparations for this upcoming season 

The MetLife Stadium turf has been derided by players across the NFL, as several opponents of the New York Giants and Jets have suffered debilitating injuries playing on the surface in recent years, including two of the Giants‘ most important players on both sides of the football.

Last season, Giants linebacker Blake Martinez and Sterling Shepard were each lost for the season, while playing games at MetLife.

Martinez tore his ACL in a Week 3 clash against the Atlanta Falcons, and Shepard ruptured his Achilles Tendon in Week 15 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

This week, as the New York Giants begin the offseason program, Martinez addressed what he believes contributed to his season-ending injury, and it wasn’t the TurfMonster of East Rutherford.

"“I think for me, I think it was more my cleats,” Martinez said Monday, during a conference call with reporters. “I wore those I think a little bit too long and my foot was sliding in it. So, I just planted awkwardly with the kind of worn-out cleats and it caused it to kind of happen.”"

However, Martinez declined to put a timetable on his return, or commit to being ready to return when the New York Giants kick off the season in September.

"“It’s just focusing day by day,” Martinez explained. “Trying to get each checkpoint, doing the things the trainers have me doing for rehab and then all of the strength staff, what they have me doing in the weight room. All I can say is it’s going well and just excited to keep chopping wood and make that progress.”"

Martinez, voted a defensive captain by his teammates last season, returns to the New York Giants after restructuring his contract earlier this offseason.

It sure sounds as though Martinez is going to be more diligent about his footwear when he gets back on the field this fall.