During an appearance on the “Rodeo Time Podcast,” the ESPN color commentator Troy Aikman talked the tradeoff of lighter training camps in today’s game vs. the past. And he thinks that players now are less physically prepared for the rigors of the NFL now than they were in his day...

quote:
“Wichita Falls is the hottest place on earth,” Aikman said of the Cowboys’ former training camp location. “Back then you did two-a-days in that kind of heat, day after day after day, two practices a day in full pads. Now the restrictions, probably for the better, players aren’t as taxed as they were.”

“I think they only wear pads one day a week or one time a day, and they have a walk-through, and then after, I don’t know how it all reads, but it’s pretty player-friendly and favorable,” he three-time Super Bowl champ explained.

“… But [those are] a lot of the reasons I think that we see so many injuries, especially early in the year. A lot of soft tissue injuries, a lot of muscle pulls, and things of that nature is the players, they’re just not able to train the way that we once did, they’re not able to callous their bodies as easily.”

“Player safety is great. As a former quarterback, I do like that they protect quarterbacks,” Aikman admitted. “With that said, the objective for a defense is to hit the quarterback and affect the quarterback and sometimes I think we’re asking a lot from these defensive players, to try to navigate 300-pound offensive linemen and then not graze the helmet of the quarterback.”

(The Spun)

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St Augustine•1 month

As a PT I still think it’s mainly because the players are bigger/more muscled, faster, and playing in more open space. Ther are simply more intense forces going through soft tissue.

304tiger•1 month

He's spot on.

Dale3•1 month

This and artificial turf.

CDawson•1 month

This is a narrative that isn't true. Natural grass gets a pass, especially as it gets into the season and maintenance cannot keep up with use. Natural grass can be fantastic, especially early in the year, but can be far less stable and consistent once the season gets in gear and the weather changes.

Redhead57•1 month

The very thing that David Bakhtiari kept bringing up about on player safety. I believe hits to the head that cause concussions have now been outlawed is causing more low hits. Knees ankles

CDawson•1 month

I was at the A's spring training speaking with their training/strength staff and asked him the difference in today's athlete and those even 15 years ago. It was simple, 15 years ago, players showed up early and ready to go. Today, I was told, players don't come early and the majority, as many as 75% are out of shape and use spring training to get in shape where a decade ago, players used the offseason to get in shape. That was the take these guys gave. Players are soft, coddled and so spoiled that many don't put in the work, especially in the offseason, they once did.

Wildcat23•1 month

Too many games and short weeks. That along with bigger stronger faster. Football
Was better playing 12 games plus playoffs. Best players played.

Borntoboogy•1 month

Thanks to the players bargaining agreement practices have been pussified.

Revorising•1 month

I agree with everyone’s comments.overall I think the NFL has produced a weak product. Not worth my time anymore.

cajunmud•1 month

It might help some too, if they didn't play in swim trunks.

TFH•1 month

Nah. There were always injuries. The difference is used to they just played through it. Today the teams don’t want to risk further injury on their expensive investments.

Datbayoubengal•1 month

They didn't play through ACL tears lol. That used to be damn near a death sentence for your career. Players today play through some torn muscles and broken ribs.

Luckydog•1 month

So true

Datbayoubengal•1 month

Nope. Bodies are different. Bigger and faster, plus all this turf they are playing on. Also, one that some people refuse to talk about, the food. Players back in the day didn't grow up on all this growth hormone filled meat and produce.

denvertiger•1 month

Season's also longer with more Thurs (less rest) games. Add in the speed and size of modern day players and it's pretty easy to figure out why there are more injuries (and a higher rate of "severe" injuries). No idea what the frick Aikman is talking about but old guys love to imagine that they're tougher than the new guys

grizzlylongcut•1 month

They were tougher than the new guys.

Timeoday•1 month

I really believe it is the turf. It is not as forgiving as natural.

Sweep Da Leg•1 month

This isn’t the 80’s or 90’s turf that’s like or is concrete. Most turf is softer than grass now

HarryHoudini•1 month

No modern turf is terrible. We had it in high school and it sucked to play on.