The Steelers have a new kicker, but remain angry over the circumstances that prompted them to sign Garrett Hartley to replace Shaun Suisham, injured Sunday night on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Many blame the 11-year-old FieldTurf at Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio, for causing the injuries to Suisham’s left knee, a torn ACL and meniscus that likely will cause him to miss the 2015 season. They say the turf caused him to lose his footing while he ran down under his kickoff.

They also wonder why the Pro Football Hall of Fame waited until after their preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings to tear up the old artificial turf in order to install a new surface.

“I hated that turf,” said safety Robert Golden, who shared the special teams co-captain duties with Suisham in 2014.

“It was old, chewed up, very hard. I’m just happy most of our guys got off healthy. Now they’re redoing it? I don’t agree with that, that’s bad, putting us at risk like that on that turf.”

Golden was there but did not play Sunday because of a knee injury, but fullback Will Johnson played on it - and slipped on it as well.

“I actually watched the play (when Suisham was hurt) and it looked like it happened before contact,” Johnson said. “It was an unfortunate situation, and I think a lot of it has to do with the turf itself.

“I had a couple of plays there, especially in the middle of the field, where I was sliding. I saw a lot of guys losing their footing.”

Joe Horrigan, vice president of communications/exhibits for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said the FieldTurf playing surface passed the Clegg impact test administered by the NFL before the game and was rendered acceptable. He said the turf is being removed as part of the stadium reconstruction that is scheduled to begin next month in which the field will be lowered by 12 feet.

“It kind of just boggles my mind if they knew it was so bad that they were going to tear it up they wouldn’t have replaced it before we played on it,” tight end Matt Spaeth said.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen something that bad . I wasn’t happy about it, that’s for sure.”

Said Johnson, “If you want us to play out there once a year - 180 guys or so out there - something needs to be done. It’s unfortunate that they’re doing something after the game.”

Hartley, 29, kicked briefly for the Cleveland Browns in 2014 after spending parts of five seasons and another on injured reserve with the New Orleans Saints, where he earned a Super Bowl XLIV ring after going 3-for-3 on field-goal attempts in that game.

He put the Saints into the Super Bowl by kicking a 40-yard field goal in overtime against the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship.

Hartley began that season dubiously when he was suspended for the first four games by the NFL for testing for a banned stimulant. He missed the 2011 season with a hip injury. The Saints released him in December 2013 - after he missed eight field goal tries inside the 50 - and replaced him with Shayne Graham.