The NFL work stoppage is certainly frustrating for fans. It’s probably annoying for borderline young NFL players and possible free agents.
But what about veteran NFL players? Are they really upset about missing organized team activities and weightlifting? Or is it sorta nice to have a true offseason for once?
Ross Tucker of SIRIUS NFL Radio was on PFT Live Tuesday, and voiced what should be clear: Most veteran players probably don’t mind the lockout. Why would they?
“None of the veteran players can say this for obvious reasons, but I’m retired so I can,” Tucker told Florio. “Some of these guys, they have already got it in their head: ‘Let’s get it resolved around mid-August.”‘
There simply isn’t a lot of pressure to solve things right now when paychecks don’t really start until September.
“People talk about it all the time: What is the hard and fast deadline?” Tucker asked. “Well, when a vast majority of your membership doesn’t really even want to go to training camp, they don’t want to go to two-a-days, ideally for them it would get resolved, I don’t know, August 10th. We have a week of free agency. Then August 17th we have two or three weeks of preseason and then play the season.
“You do realize, Mike, that’s the dream. To skip training camp, to skip two-a-days and just go right to the season . . . there are a lot of guys that are very much looking forward to the possibility.”
It’s a great point and partially explains some of the lack of urgency in talks.
Tucker’s comments could possibly annoy some union members on the front line, but of course he’s just speaking the truth. The majority of veteran players wouldn’t mind a little more time off.
It may even make it harder for the young guys to make the team.
To see Tucker’s full interview, head to the PFT Live homepage or check out the show on iTunes.