6The countdown is ticking for the regular season. The preseason wrapped up just this past Sunday and the team is waiting on bated breath with the real action mere days away. And the time has come, when the final touch-ups are being made, and it’s nothing but tricky.

The 32 NFL teams are about to whisk through the roster cutdowns ahead of the regular season. This year, the franchises have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to whittle their active rosters down to 53 players. As crucial as the process is it presents a formidable challenge for the coaches and the players. And it’s even more so for the players as for many it could also mean the end of the road of their gridiron dreams.

Many players about to face tremendous shifts

While making it to the 90 rosters is a remarkable feat any football aspirant can take pride in, one’s gridiron dreams could be cut off within a blink ahead of the regular season due to the roster cuts. The roster cuts come with significant stakes for countless players beyond missing out on playing the match. According to the estimates, as part of the final cut this year, over 1,200 players are expected to lose their jobs.

The figures are not as daunting the veteran players are released who could get to make new stops. But for many, it’s like a blind drawn to their dreams, if they don’t make it to the cut. For around 500 of them, they’ll stick to practice squads but the rest will have to wrap their heads around a career outside of the NFL. For some, particularly those with grave injuries, it means coming to terms with the fact that they may have to find a completely new career.

Time to shift gears!

The outcome of roster cuts might not be easy to digest, however, it’s as much as a crucial part of the business. While this might come with significant losses, the league also has programs in line to aid the players who did not make the cut.

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The NFL Players Association has devised a number of programs to support the players including. For instance, the Trust program implemented by the body aids the players in a slew of areas like career transition and development, education and entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and personal interaction. Another initiative, the NFLPA Professional Athletes Foundation (PAF) extends assistance to NFL players and their families with personalized tools and resources.

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