The 2023 Guide to NFL Training Camp
The unofficial start of the NFL Season is officially upon us:
It’s been 162 days since we last witnessed the pinnacle of human achievement—an NFL game—and now, with the start of training camp, we are one step closer to the start of the NFL season.
However, training camp is filled with all types of red tape, confusing media narratives, and confusing speculation—it gets pretty hard to sort out what’s important from what isn’t.
In this edition of Addict Football, I’m going to break down what training camp is, how it works, and what you should look for in with regards to your favorite team going into the season.
What Exactly is Training Camp?
Training camp is a period of about 2 weeks, usually starting in the last week of July and wrapping up just before a team’s first preseason game. This season, 27 of the 32 NFL teams kick off their training camp today (July 25).
Training camp is mainly used to get rid of any offseason rust, get rookies into the flow of things (some teams allow rookies to start training camp up to a week earlier), and help coaches to install new schemes and plays.
Some fans think that training camp is like a fun retreat for football players, who get to run around and play in the sun all day, while fans get to take pictures and watch. However, that is not the case. It is arguably the most physically and mentally taxing periods in football, as players are toiling in the mid-summer heat from sunrise until well after dark. In the NFL world, training camp is regarded as a grueling, painful, and mind-breaking waking up call. The message for rookies is simple: you aren’t in Kansas anymore—it’s time to kick your ass into high gear and act like a pro football player. And for vets? Well, it’s time to shed the extra pounds and prepare yourself to get absolutely brutalized every single week for the next 6 months of your life.
“Your body has likely been bashed and trampled so much that you can no longer distinguish bruised flesh from normal. With muscles so stiff and fatigued, the brief walk from hotel to locker is a challenge. Your body is screaming for rest; your mind is constantly at the breaking point.” - Former NFL player Ryan Riddle
Although today is the first day of training camp for most teams, you may be surprised to hear that NFL teams aren’t actually allowed to do anything on-field. The most exciting news you’ll hear today will be related to physicals, conditioning tests, and meetings. The same rules apply for the second and third days of camp.
Day 4 is where the real excitement begins, although there are still many rules and caveats (I told you there was a lot of red tape).
NFL teams are allowed to run two practices each day, with one being a walkthrough and the other being a fully padded practice session. The two practices in total cannot last more than 4 hours, and there must be a 3 hour break between the practice sessions. When players aren’t practicing, they will most likely be in team meetings, eating, weightlifting, or receiving treatment from team doctors.
An obvious concern of NFL teams is avoiding piling up injuries before the season begins. For that reason, teams have to give players at least one day off every week, and a total of 5 days off by the end of training camp. Additionally, although this isn’t an official rule, there is a limited amount of full-speed tackling during camp. Players are encouraged to stay on their feet in order to avoid falling on their teammates’ ankles and knees.
Narratives You are GUARANTEED To Hear
Anyone who has been an NFL fan for several years could recite to you in their sleep the narratives commonly carried by the media, year in and year out.
For example, I’d wager my firstborn child that by the end of this week, the media will be proclaiming a player as being in the best shape of their lives. I mean I would hope you’re in the best shape of your life, you’re an NFL player pumped with enough drugs and treatment to make Ronald Reagan blush.
If you are a fan of an NFL team that has a new head coach (Broncos, Panthers, Colts, Cardinals, and Texans), look out for anything about a new culture, especially if it has to do with ping pong tables. If a coach removes ping pong tables, he’s really making an impact and making sure everyone is focused on playing quality football. If he brings them in: well, he’s instilling a positive and fun culture and really bringing the locker room together.
And I can’t forget to mention an absolute classic: the player putting in extra work. Your favorite team’s beat reporter just saw your fifth-string WR get in some extra throws after practice, and he just has to tell the world that your guy is3 “dialed in” and going to be “super scary.”
Bullshit aside, what should NFL fans really be looking for?
1. Positional Battles
Every NFL team has a few positions where the starter isn’t 100% set in stone. As training camp progresses, scan reports from a reputable team reporter to get an idea of who has the edge.
2. Rookies and UDFAs
A lot of fans are quick to overlook the importance of Day 2 and 3 draft picks and UDFAs, and instead opt to pay attention to their flashy first round picks. However, definitely take note of how these guys progress: that way you can show everyone how smart you are when they turn into a superstar.
3. Don’t Read Too Much Into Clips of INTs/Drops
Oh my goodness, your favorite team’s young star made a mistake during one of his first NFL practices! As dumb as it sounds, many NFL fans take to Twitter and complain with similar freezing cold takes, declaring anyone who isn’t the Jesus Christ in football player form to be a bust.
And a word of advice? Relax. These guys are real people with real pressures weighing heavily on their shoulders, not disembodied helmets on a phone screen for you to relentlessly pick apart.
All in All
With that being said, I truly enjoy this part of the NFL season. It’s the one time that I truly allow myself to get my hopes up before everything goes terribly, horribly wrong.