The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) wants to push for changes to the offseason workout program.
It is working to finalise a proposal to overhaul the offseason starting as early as 2025. This will eliminate voluntary on-field work in the spring in favour of a longer training camp ramp-up, with platers reporting in mid-June to early July. NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday.
A formal proposal from the NFLPA is expected this summer.
Under new management since July 2023, the NFLPA has asked players for feedback on adjusting the offseason schedule. Majority supported the changes, Pelissero reported.
The present offseason workout program, which is generally bargained, is a voluntary nine-week offseason program, split into three phases. It includes meetings (Phase One), on-field individual drills (Phase Two), and organised team activities (Phase Three). Teams can perform one mandatory minicamp for veterans during Phase Three.
For most teams, the offseason program begins in mid-April and runs through mid-June. A roughly six-week summer break lasts until training camps begin in mid- to late July.
Since offseason work rules are collectively bargained, any changes by the NFLPA will require an agreement with the NFL.
According to Pelissero, the NFLPA has consulted medical and performance experts to provide a solution to reduce injuries and maximise players’ recovery time. Under the potential proposal, virtual classroom work would still be allowed in the spring, but no practices until camp.
Restructuring the NFL’s offseason could break up the calendar, giving players an in depth layoff following a grinding season and a longer ramp-up period before the start of the campaign. This could prove helpful in avoiding soft-tissue injuries some players suffer during training camps under the current structure.
