Players union wants rookies to boycott minicamps

[Bengalholic]

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said on a call today with rookie players and their agents that the union again will negotiate the right for players to opt out of the 2021 season, per source.

Dozens of players took the opt-out in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 3, 2021

This includes rookie minicamps, which DeMaurice Smith emphasized are voluntary. The union's recommendation is players don't show up to those either. So, some more drama over the next couple weeks. Nothing is mandatory until next month's full-squad minicamps.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 3, 2021

 

[HarleyDog]

Geez.

[*Synric*]

....yea working like 15 days between early February and late July is extremely stressful.

[*jason*]

I totally got it in 2020... I'm not sure I can get behind too many players opting out this season. I think they should opt to look for a different line of work if they don't feel they can play in 2021.

[*psychdoctor*]

This will not go over well with football fans

[leonardfan40]

Rookies now more than ever need the offseason. Many of them (Chase/Sewell/Slater/etc) didn’t play last year on top of making the already large jump from college to pros.

If you’re worried about COVID yet the vaccine. If you aren’t worried but just don’t want to work for your paycheck-hit the unemployment line and make a few hundred bucks a month. If you want to be a rich famous football player then you should hit the field like players have been doing for decades.

[Au165]

This is a bigger push by the union to eliminate all voluntary workouts. The fatal issue here is that injuries are going to happen in preparation for the season, just a matter if you are on site or not. If you are on site your contract is guaranteed, or they’ll have to give you an injury settlement. If your away from the facility you can be placed on the NFI list and they can choose to not pay you. Now often teams will still pay players who get injured doing actual prep for the season,however, if the NFLPA wants to die on this hill I could see it becoming common practice by all teams to refuse pay for NFI incidents.

[OBX Bengal]

(05-03-2021, 06:46 PM)Bengalholic Wrote:

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said on a call today with rookie players and their agents that the union again will negotiate the right for players to opt out of the 2021 season, per source.

Dozens of players took the opt-out in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 3, 2021

This includes rookie minicamps, which DeMaurice Smith emphasized are voluntary. The union's recommendation is players don't show up to those either. So, some more drama over the next couple weeks. Nothing is mandatory until next month's full-squad minicamps.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 3, 2021

 

This makes no sense, all football players wear a face mask ever since Paul Brown invented them.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Can't see less offseason workouts ever being an issue.

Not like we saw a huge drop in tackling quality when they reduced the amount of tackling practice and padded practice you could do.

[Bengalholic]

JC Tretter: 'Roster spots not earned in May.'

[Bengalholic]

Pat Leonard (Giants beat reporter): 'There is an uncomfortable blood-letting coming league-wide on rosters [after draft picks and UDFA's are signed].'

[OSUfan]

I have come to the conclusion that the players union really just does not feel that the players should have to practice in any way, shape, or form. The lack of practice could be argued as a reason for so many more injuries.

[*Synric*]

(05-03-2021, 08:37 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: JC Tretter: 'Roster spots not earned in May.'

Maybe not but it sure helps younger players get on the same page as the veterans quicker and allows them a better chance to earn a roster spot.

[Bengalholic]

(05-03-2021, 08:51 PM)Synric Wrote: Maybe not but it sure helps younger players get on the same page as the veterans quicker and allows them a better chance to earn a roster spot.

Bruce Arians agrees:

“If we lose spring, [young players] are not getting developed. The veterans love that s–t, because that means they don’t get to take their jobs. So when you have the veterans voting on the rules. . . . these young kids need practice. If the vets don’t want to come, they don’t have to come. It’s still voluntary. We need the preseason, we definitely need some preseason games.”

[bengaloo]

This is laughable and sad at the same time.

[MileHighGrowler]

(05-03-2021, 08:58 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: Bruce Arians agrees:

“If we lose spring, [young players] are not getting developed. The veterans love that s–t, because that means they don’t get to take their jobs. So when you have the veterans voting on the rules. . . . these young kids need practice. If the vets don’t want to come, they don’t have to come. It’s still voluntary. We need the preseason, we definitely need some preseason games.”

I've yet to encounter a single union in my life that ever did anything to really help the "new guy."  The old guys don't want to go to optional practices, or cut back on practice time, that's heard.  And if it gives the young and eager guys a chance to catch up and possibly displace a veteran, it won't be received well.  It's the typical "pay your dues and be respectful" situation.  


I do think it's ridiculous, though.  I understand that it's a year-round job for these guys, not just the season.  But at the same time, they're being paid to play sports, and some of them are pretty quick to complain whenever there's an opportunity about how hard they work and how unfair it is.  

[Socal Bengals fan]

This is getting ridiculous getting paid millions to throw a football around , I'm sure I can find a million other jobs more stressful. Just practice for a few hours a week n go home yo your mansions afterwards

[AussieBengal]

(05-03-2021, 08:44 PM)OSUfan Wrote: I have come to the conclusion that the players union really just does not feel that the players should have to practice in any way, shape, or form. The lack of practice could be argued as a reason for so many more injuries.

Sounds great to me, I always thought I was robbed of a professional sporting career by being a lazy bastard. If they would just ban everyone else from training I believe I could have been the greatest sportsman of all time!!!

[Sled21]

Last year at this time was vastly different, so I understood players wanting to opt out. This year, hospitals are not overrun, there are vaccines, and doctors better understand how to treat covid. If a player wants to opt out this year, fine, but they opt out of their contract and get nothing, as far as I'm concerned.

[XenoMorph]

(05-03-2021, 06:46 PM)Bengalholic Wrote:

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said on a call today with rookie players and their agents that the union again will negotiate the right for players to opt out of the 2021 season, per source.

Dozens of players took the opt-out in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 3, 2021

This includes rookie minicamps, which DeMaurice Smith emphasized are voluntary. The union's recommendation is players don't show up to those either. So, some more drama over the next couple weeks. Nothing is mandatory until next month's full-squad minicamps.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 3, 2021

 

helps the vets keep their jobs as they dont get to see the competition

No dice.. 

Millionaires need to practice.