Thread: NFLPA president JC Tretter wants permanent changes to offseason schedule

The positions of NFLPA President JC Tretter in this article further reinforces just how out of touch the NFLPA is:

“This year has brought less time at practice than ever before. We had no offseason practices, fewer training camp practices and no preseason games. While some feared that those changes would lead to a sloppy 2020 NFL season, our collective level of play across the league has actually never been higher.

Bullsh*t!!

I completely agree with Florio's statement/position,

Tackling is the one thing that has suffered significantly since the practice changes made as a result of the 2011 CBA; thus, comparing 2020 to 2019 may not be an ideal barometer. Likewise, there could be fewer penalties this year because officials are throwing fewer flags.

“[T]here is no reason for us to ever return to the previous offseason program,” Tretter writes. “We are the only major sports league with an offseason program. The most physically demanding sport is the only league that brings their players back for extra practices outside of the season. The argument in favor of these offseason practices is based on the assumption that players need reps during OTAs to develop and learn while teams need the practices to gel. . . ”

Again, I completely disagree with Tretter's position that there is no reason to return to the previous offseason program.

I again agree with Florio's statement/position,

The irony of Tretter’s position is that the vast majority of the offseason program is voluntary. Players don’t have to show up. But they do, either because they have money tied to showing up or they fear that other players vying for roster spots and playing time will be there or they simply want to do it, in order to get better. On that point, consider the extent to which Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his teammates engaged in offseason practices, even after the union advises all players to stop practicing on their own.

Ultimately though, it all comes down to this point/statement by Florio,

any changes will be the product of collective bargaining. If the union wants to get rid of offseason practices, the union has to be ready to give up something else. Tretter is smart enough to know this, and he’s smart enough to already have some ideas about what the union would be willing to do to get the changes he wants. Maybe, just maybe, Tretter and the union are dangling this request as part of a potential tradeoff for an 18-game regular season

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ason-schedule/

What are other people's thoughts on Tretter's positions and arguments?

Is there actually data to suggest that tackling has gotten worse? This is a thing I see people say a lot, but I've never actually seen it proven.

I dont know if play has gotten worse but it does seem like injuries have been at an alltime high. Maybe its just me i dont know but it seems like more players have been hurt and out for much longer than normal years. I would think it anything the preseason games do help players get ready for the season in terms of working them into gameplay. Maybe this year is just an outlier but i cant imagine the NFL or the players themselves would want to risk the money they both make by having this kind of injury prone seasons.

No off-season workouts is a deal breaker, I’d be shocked if the NFLPA can pull this off.

Originally Posted by Northman

I dont know if play has gotten worse but it does seem like injuries have been at an alltime high. Maybe its just me i dont know but it seems like more players have been hurt and out for much longer than normal years. I would think it anything the preseason games do help players get ready for the season in terms of working them into gameplay. Maybe this year is just an outlier but i cant imagine the NFL or the players themselves would want to risk the money they both make by having this kind of injury prone seasons.

Let me see if I can find the PFF article that touched on the tackling and other performance issues.