CLEVELAND, Ohio – Browns Center and JC Tretter, president of the NFLPA, wrote Thursday that he believes the 2020 season has shown that the league’s off-season program is not as necessary as previously thought.
Tretter, who wrote on the NFLPA website, successfully quoted new and first-year coaches, rookies have success and newly formed teams have success as reasons why the representatives during OTAs and minicamp may not have the importance that some believe. The league hosted its outdoor program virtually in the spring. The New Orleans Saints, a rival of the NFC this season, have completely canceled their off-season program.
“After experiencing the change, there is no reason for us to ever return to the previous off-season program,” Tretter wrote. ‘We are the only major sports league with an off-season program. The most physically demanding sport is the only league that brings their players back for extra off-season training. ”
He pointed to data indicating a high quality of play, even with limited off-season and training camp time and no pre-season games. He also remembers that the CBA eliminated two-a-day training in 2011, a controversial move at the time, but according to him, created a higher quality of the game and a change according to him, according to former players, their career could be extended.
Tretter also writes the sloppy play many feared from less time on the field did not happen.
‘Sloppy play would usually be evident with low-scoring matches, a large number of penalties and more missed tackles,’ he wrote, ‘all of which is historically attributed to insufficient practice time to sharpen our fundamentals. But we saw the exact opposite this year, with points per game at an all-time high, a decrease in penalties and even fewer failed tackles compared to last year.
‘We do not have to be brought in during April-June to practice against each other. It is simply unnecessary. ”
Currently, the off-season program begins in April with a starting time that determines whether a team has a new head coach or a returning coach. The first phase consists of conditioning and no work on the field. Organized team activities include ten exercises after the essay and are voluntary. There is also a mandatory mini-camp that keeps most teams at the end of the program in June.
Teams also hold newcomer programs, including a mandatory newcomer mini-camp during one of the two weekends following the draft. Tretter did not address the rookie program specifically in his post.
Brown coaches have, as you would expect, shown a lot of respect for Tretter and the work he has done as president of the NFLPA, but do not agree with the idea of eliminating the off-season program.
“As a coach, we would obviously like to have them coach in the spring,” said offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. “As a coach and a coach, it’s a precious time we missed in the spring with the footwork, details, protection and adjustments and everything that goes with the spiritual aspect.”
Van Pelt recalls that as a player he participated in the quarterback school, part of the offseason program that lost the 2011 collective bargaining.
“The health and safety of everyone is paramount,” Van Pelt said, “but if we could get together, we as coaches would love it, because there are many things that are missed by not going through the OTAs and do not see the appearance and see of the different issues that arise. All this you put in the memory bank that you use during the season. ”
Mike Priefer, the coordinator of the special teams, said he expects some changes to take place after the off-season after experiencing this year, but says he will never want to eliminate it.
‘I think it’s extremely important for the development of our young players,’ said Priefer, ‘especially our draft pick, our college free agents and really players who come from other teams to integrate them into our locker room and get the players to each. other. ”
Priefer said he understands in his post where Tretter comes from, but still thinks the program is valuable.
Part of keeping us all going in the spring is teaming up with the team, building a chemistry in the locker room and understanding and looking your players in the eye and telling them what you expect from them. , ‘he said.
Tretter believes players can be trusted to do what needs to be done in the off-season.
“Our players are professionals,” he wrote. “They understand what they need to do to be prepared. Many of us guys practice all year long to be at their physical peak. They also study their playbooks to prepare spiritually. ”
The off-season program is likely to become an important point of future negotiations, especially as the league continues to expand the number of games played, something they have already done by adding an extra play-off team to each conference this season – and more to add two Wild Card games. – and plans to do more by probably extending next season to a 17th game in the regular season.
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