The NFL Players Association’s proposed changes to the offseason calendar sent the football world into a frenzy, with players, coaches, executives, and NFL alumni weighing in on the potential impact on the start of organized team activities, minicamps, and the offseason workout program.
Though the player-led proposal would eliminate the voluntary workouts conducted throughout the spring, the gradual ramp-up to training camp starting in June or July has drawn the ire of traditionalists preferring the traditional flow of the established calendar.
Under the current calendar, players report for offseason workouts in mid-April for a voluntary nine-week program that is broken down into three phases. These phases include meetings (Phase One), on-field individual drills (Phase Two), and organized team activities (Phase Three). Teams can also conduct one mandatory minicamp for veterans during Phase Three.
After Phase Three, players have a six-week summer break around mid-June until training camp kicks off in mid-to-late July.
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While the pre-training camp sabbatical enables players and coaches to relax and recharge before a marathon-like season that runs through February, the NFLPA is attempting to reduce some of the soft-tissue injuries that plague some players during training camp under the current structure.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the NFLPA has consulted with medical and performance experts to create a solution for reducing injuries and maximizing players’ recovery time. Under the current proposal, virtual classroom work would still be permitted in the spring, but no practices would be allowed until camp.
Abolishing “spring football” might make some old-school coaches cringe, but savvy coaches could take advantage of a revised offseason calendar to improve the execution of their respective squads at the beginning of the season. With a 10-plus week program leading into the season, teams could put together a comprehensive plan that enables players to get into tip-top shape while mastering the nuances of the scheme in an accelerated format that mixes classroom instruction with on-field practices that gradually incorporates padded work at the beginning of training camp.
As a former player, I value the extended layoff following a grueling season extending into the final week of February. The three-to-four-month recovery period would enable the body to fully heal before going through specialized workouts with personal trainers designed to improve individual skills.
Although the lengthy unsupervised period would require players to possess the discipline and focus on managing their weight and improving their strength and conditioning metric, the opportunity to oversee their workouts leading into training camp would enable the coaching staff to build out a plan that ensures the team is in peak condition at the end of camp.
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In addition, the gradual escalation from classroom instruction on on-field practice from June through mid-August would likely result in better overall execution and performance at the beginning of the regular season. With a consistent work schedule that eliminates the rust on the players’ game before training camp, teams should be able to hit the ground running when the regular kicks off after Labor Day.
Think about how Vince Lombardi, Chuck Noll, Don Shula, and Tom Landry prepared championship-caliber squads with intense workouts focused on conditioning and fundamentals. While coaches cannot utilize those old-school methods to get their teams ready to play, this current generation of team builders could steal a page from those throwback training camps to help their teams better prepare for the regular season by utilizing an extended ramp-up and training camp.
The shift to a late-starting offseason program could also pay huge dividends for coaches and scouts in the free agency and draft preparation process. Instead of splitting their time between on-field self-evaluation and prep work for OTAs (organized team activities), coaches could play a more significant role throughout the scouting process. From being more involved in pre-draft meetings and film sessions to spending more time on the road participating in Pro Day workouts, coaches could hone in on the next generation of prospects entering the league without the distraction of planning practice or skill development sessions.
Perhaps the increased focus will lead to better results on draft day in a league where draft picks succeed at the rate of a coin flip. With more time to identify and evaluate prospects with significant input from coaches solely focused on the draft process, teams should be able to improve their “hit” rate percentage on draft day.
The change to the offseason calendar will significantly impact coaches and scouts, but the strength and conditioning staff will face immense pressure to properly prepare the team for the regular season while avoiding the nagging soft-tissue injuries that have plagued some players during the preseason in recent years.
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Speaking to a retired strength coach regarding the potential changes, he told me that the late start but continuous work should make it easier to build a workout plan that gradually intensifies as the official training camp approaches. Instead of working around a schedule with several stops and starts before training camp kicks off near the end of July, strength coaches can build up the players’ cardiovascular endurance with a steady progression that avoids the six-week layoff players currently experience under the old off-season calendar.
Though rest and recovery is essential before the regular season, the strength coach told me that the six-week summer break makes it nearly impossible for players to retain their fitness and strength gains from the spring. While players will not completely get out of shape during a break while working out on their own, he worries about maintaining a rigorous workout schedule under the guidance of a private trainer who utilizes methods different from the team’s preferred philosophy.
Moreover, he also pointed out that players will work out on different surfaces (track, field turf, and grass), which can impact how their bodies respond when they resume on-field workouts during training camp. Considering the additional risk factors associated with players working out independently away from the team’s facility, it is in the team’s best interests to flip the calendar to enable strength coaches to have more control of the team’s collective preparation before training camp kicks off at the end of July.
Given that the NFL world wants to see a better product when the regular season kicks off in September, the change to the offseason calendar should be celebrated in league circles.
Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the “Moving the Sticks” podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.
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