While the NFL has remained steadfastly determined to add games to the regular season, the NFL Players Association seems equally determined to restructure the league’s offseason.
According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, the NFLPA is pursuing a change to the offseason that would do away with springtime organized team activities (OTAs).
End of OTAs? The NFL Players Association is working to finalize a proposal to overhaul the offseason starting as soon as 2025, eliminating voluntary on-field work in the spring in favor of a longer training camp ramp-up, with players reporting in mid-June to early July, per… pic.twitter.com/nQa9TmKCGO
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2024
Pelissero continued, outlining details of the plan and where things currently stand.
“The union has been seeking feedback on the plan from players, a majority of whom support the change, sources say,” Pelissero wrote. “A formal proposal is expected this summer. Offseason work rules are collectively bargained, and any changes would require an agreement with the NFL.”
The union has been seeking feedback on the plan from players, a majority of whom support the change, sources say. A formal proposal is expected this summer.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2024
Offseason work rules are collectively bargained, and any changes would require an agreement with the NFL.
“Under new leadership, the NFLPA has consulted medical and performance experts in hopes of creating a common-sense solution for reducing injuries and maximizing players’ recovery time. Virtual classroom work would still be permitted in the spring. But no practice until camp.”
Under new leadership, the NFLPA has consulted medical and performance experts in hopes of creating a common-sense solution for reducing injuries and maximizing players’ recovery time. Virtual classroom work would still be permitted in the spring. But no practice until camp.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2024
The NFLPA push for a revised offseason isn’t directly tied to an 18-game season. However, it’s worth noting a longer schedule would further shorten the time between the season and training camp — another reason consolidating players’ time off into one long break would make sense.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2024
“Currently, all NFL teams are permitted to begin workout programs in April, ahead of the annual draft, and host a rookie minicamp in May,” CBS Sports reports. “Voluntary OTAs then follow, with many teams hosting mandatory minicamp in June. Training camps, which lead directly into the preseason, generally don’t require veterans to report until late July.”
With owners standing to gain huge, additional financial gains in ticket sales, merchandising, and TV deals due to an elongated season, owners are not likely to spend too much time resisting the NFLPA’s requests to condense the offseason. And, on general principle, such a proposal makes sense. If players are playing more games, they will need more downtime.
Right? Right.
The problem is that the already very low quality of football we’re seeing today will likely get much worse. The state of play in the league is bad enough as it is. Now we’re going to get rid of OTAs? In fact, Tom Brady spoke about the “mediocrity” plaguing the league in a conversation with Stephen A. Smith in November.
“I think there’s a lot of mediocrity in today’s NFL. I don’t see the excellence that I saw in the past,” Brady said. “I think the coaching isn’t as good as it was. I don’t think the development of young players is as good as it was. The rules have allowed a lot of bad habits to get into the actual performance of the game. So, I just think the product, in my opinion, is less than what it’s been.”
“I think there’s a lot of mediocrity in today’s NFL” - @TomBrady pic.twitter.com/xyZ1q3ztUg
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 21, 2023
None of that will likely improve, with players having less time to prepare and practice. In fact, it definitely won’t. Yes, some effort will be made to compensate for OTAs with an expanded training camp. However, you can only expand it so much. The NFL will make much more money, and so will the players, but the quality of the product will suffer immensely.
