Tedy Bruschi, the former Patriot linebacker, now commentator for ESPN’s NFL Live, said Thursday July 15th is a big date for the owners, not the players. It’s all about not putting the ticket sales at risk for the upcoming pre-season games that begin in early August. That, and general managers would like more time to work the free agent market they is expected to produce a glut of talent.
For the players, Bruschi said, the significant date is mid-August, when players wanting two weeks and two exhibition games to prepare for the regular season.
Bruschi didn’t say it but it was obvious. Ask most veteran NFL players and they’ll say they can get by with two fewer weeks of training camp. It’s not like the old days, in which players reported out of shape because of the real jobs they needed in the off-season.
With the money they make now, they don’t need real jobs in the off-season, just a personal trainer and a workout schedule from their team.
The only rub to all this: Rookies really need all the seat-time, so the speak, they can get to learn the playbook and their teammates.
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