Texans' Violation Common Practice

There’s an interesting story coming out of Houston this week. ESPN reported that the Texans — under head coach Gary Kubiak — might have gone a little too far with their intensity at offseason practices.

And someone blew the whistle on them.

Reports of “live blocking” and offensive and defensive linemen going at it during one-on-one drills have no place in spring football in the NFL. This story probably won’t generate much steam in the general public, but someone needs to take notice because it’s common practice these days in the NFL.

Let me take you back to Washington in 2004, when head coach Joe Gibbs first came back to the ‘Skins. Our spring “voluntary” workouts, or OTAs, were anything but. Guys did anything they could to avoid the new culture that Gibbs brought with him, but what were we going to do, blow the whistle on a Hall of Fame coach because we were doing “one-on-ones” and butting the ball carrier with only helmets on? Sure, we were upset -- we had every right to be. Guys were beat up after mini-camp practices. How that was beneficial to the success of the team is beyond me. That, and the same stuff that seemed to be going on in Houston last spring, is complete garbage, folks.

It’s the job of the players’ union to protect us and enforce our rights in these situations. You want to know why there are so many big injuries in the NFL these days? Look no further than the kind of “voluntary” practice that happened in Houston or during my time in D.C. You do enough hitting in training camp and preseason games (boy, are those fun times) to last five years. To ask a guy who isn’t in prime football shape – certainly not the kind of shape he would be in August -- to hit in shorts and helmets is ludicrous, asinine, completely unacceptable and, well, flat-out stupid. Sure, I understand these new coaches want to change the “culture” of their teams. OK, then get better players or better coordinators. Don’t subject your own guys to drills that are against union policy and put them in situations where knees and shoulders get blown out.

These guys have rights.

Luckily for us in Washington, our veterans did blow the whistle. The union was brought in, and our last week of OTAs was cancelled because the coaching staff had broken the rules. Yes, the coaching staff wanted to know who made the phone call, but no one had to own up to it because in this business, if you break the rules, you pay for it. 

Trust me, this is common practice in today’s NFL. I have plenty of friends who still play, and I’ve heard all the stories from guys who are now retired, like I am. It happens in every organization. Nothing is “voluntary,” and mini-camps are becoming mini-training camps. All around the league this spring, coaches will try to bend the rules to their breaking point. Why? I really have no idea, because as much as coaches love to say that teams are made in the offseason, they aren’t. Tell me one player who becomes better playing in pajamas (shorts and helmets). Please, because I just don’t see it. Yes, there is something to be gained from spring OTAs in terms of timing and scheme, but not actual football — the kind that is needed to win at this level. You get that when you put on the pads in August.

 Then, and only then, will you find out what type of players you really have.

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