Seahawks' Pete Carroll calls turf 'horrible'

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said he prefers a natural grass playing surface but would be open to a different surface to improve conditions at FedEx Field. The Redskins' playing surface was criticized by numerous players and even Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.

Carroll told a Seattle radio station that the FedEx Field turf was a "horrible field. It's as bad as a field can get for being dry. And it's too bad. It's really too bad. And we deserve better. ... We deserve better. ... It just was worn out. And there was a lot of slipping and all that kind of stuff."

The field was used for two college football games in September as well as a Kenny Chesney-Tim McGraw concert in August. The conditions were rugged much of the season.

"It wasn't a perfect field. We all know that," Shanahan said. "If you sod right, a lot of times it's good. I thought the field was OK [on Sunday] because I didn't see people slipping."

Shanahan said there's an irrigation system that should suck the water out of the end zones. But he said it's not working well and needs to be addressed.

The agent for Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons told NFL Network that he blamed the field for the torn ACL that ended his client's season.

Notes » Shanahan said he told his coaches not to attend the Senior Bowl later this month. The Redskins' coaching staff worked at the game last season, but Shan?ahan said he wants them to take the time off or spend it doing other "things they need to do." The Redskins' scouts will be at the game. Shanahan also said he had not yet received requests from any teams to interview members of his coaching staff. ...

Shanahan said the salary cap mess is not over. The Redskins lost $36 million from their salary cap in 2012 and 2013 as the NFL punished them for the way they handled the uncapped year of 2010.

Shanahan said he could not talk about the impact of the cap mess, "so that means we're still involved in it. When I can speak about it, I will speak." ...

Redskins punter Sav Rocca said he will undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee but said he will be punting again by April.

jkeim@washingtonexaminer.com