GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari said he wasn't making a statement against artificial turf when he missed last Sunday's game at the Atlanta Falcons, adding that it will not influence whether he plays in the future.
Bakhtiari said his absence was simply the result of his chronically problematic left knee, which flared up again last week.
"If I wasn't going to play on turf, I'd probably make more of a ruckus," he said Wednesday.
Last week, Bakhtiari was outspoken against playing NFL games on artificial surfaces such as the FieldTurf that the Falcons have at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.