Former Bronco gives inside look at NFL training camp

In a phenomenal piece in the New York Times‘ Fifth Down Blog, former Denver Broncos tight end Nate Jackson (who was on the team from 2003-2008) breaks down what it’s like to participate in training camp at football’s highest level. As one might expect, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Jackson breaks down the daily grind, the verbal abuse from the coaches, and how players spend their precious downtime (”however they can: napping, video games, reading, crying.”). Okay, none of it is sunshine and rainbows. The verbal haranguing (from the coaches) isn’t exclusive to the field. In meetings every day and night, it continues. The decibel level decreases, but it’s no less biting. Every play of every practice is watched on film by the whole team that same day. Morning practice is watched in the afternoon before the afternoon practice, and the afternoon practice is watched at night before going home. Practices are watched on huge screens with high qua...