NFL Combine Update: Agents of Draft Prospects Threaten to Boycott Combine If “Bubble” Restrictions Are Not Changed

Agents of 155 draft prospects are planning to boycott some of the 2022 NFL combine proceedings if the restrictions put in place by the NFL are not altered. As per multiple reports, the boycott will include all testing, on-field workouts, and interviews.

Reports suggest that the two parties are trying to work out a solution and avoid the announcement of a boycott on Monday.

The NFLPA has come out in support of the decision of the prospects who do not wish to attend.

NFL Combine restrictions cause a stir

Reports suggest that the agents worry about multiple aspects of the restrictions and their implications. Players can only bring one person with them to Indy and that poses a serious challenge of consultation and logistics.

The athletes attending this combine are competing for a position that they’ve been training for their entire lives. Any compromise on their preparation could be a serious blow to years of hard work. Draft prospects in the NFL have people taking care of their nutrition, physical fitness, training, strength, and psychology.

The league will provide the food

The memo released last week by the NFL mentions that they will be responsible for the nutritional needs of future players and that poses a serious problem since these players aren’t going to camp. They are going for a job interview and their physicality is one of their strengths. Being a certain weight can be integral for their profiles.

Read More: NFL Draft Prospects to Reside in a “Bubble” During Their Stay at NFL Combine 2022 in Indianapolis

Then there is another issue pointed out by some players that the bench-press, the on-field workout, and the measurements will all be held on the same day. As Jonathan Jones of CBS opined, this “mirrors what a typical pro day is, when all events take place on the same day.”

The players’ weight and strength are a basis for selection at the combine, which implies that players require the expertise of their team since their future is on the line. Thus, it is understandable that almost half of the prospective players have threatened a boycott.

The proceedings of the NFL Combine have been a point of contention in the past as well. The league has made amends in some cases. It is tough to say who would hurt more in case the two parties fail to reach a solution.

This is a mutually beneficial relationship. The NFL also wants that the players are in top condition physically and mentally.

So, if the two parties can arrive at a solution, 324 players will take the field at the Combine which is scheduled for the first week of March.

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