NFL Veteran Combine Shows Sad Truth

[Robotech]

This was an eye-opener for me, but maybe it shouldn't have been. Obviously, playing pro football is rough on the body. The results at the veteran combine appear to show how broke down these guys get over the years. It was worse than I thought it would be. For example, Felix Jones ran something like a 4.47 40 at the 2008 Combine, while this weekend at the inaugural veteran combine, he could only manage a 4.79 and 4.85. When former Raider Michael Bush found out that he ran a 4.91, he cursed and said ". . . there goes my career."

Three things come to mind for me:

(1) the importance of the draft is magnified even more. Every NFL team needs fresh bodies that haven't yet been broken down by years of playing in the NFL.

(2) How broke down are some of our veteran players? I know Reggie Bush was a speedster in college, but if he were at this veteran combine, what time would he have run? I know that the players at the veteran combine are guys who are trying to make a comeback, but veteran players who are currently on an NFL roster must also be going through the deterioration of their physical skills at least to some degree.

(3) The importance of developing the mental part of the game as a player gets older. I think we saw this the last couple of years with a player like Frank Gore. Gore does not look fast, but he remained productive because he just knows what to do out there.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

They were electronically timing guys at the vet combine, versus hand timing at the actual combine. That's typically good for 0.1-0.15 seconds. Not saying that makes for good times, but Michael Bush, for instance, might still be able to get it done. He's not a speed guy anyway. Worse for Jones, as speed is really all he ever brought to the table.

 

[fastforward]

I can't say I liked the Veteran Combine concept. I doubt it will become an annual event.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I can see it with second or third-year players who haven't really seen the field. For older players, it seems a little silly. Is anyone going to sign Michael Bush based on this event if they didn't based on what he's done on the field over a long career?

 

[deep9er]

This was an eye-opener for me, but maybe it shouldn't have been. Obviously, playing pro football is rough on the body. The results at the veteran combine appear to show how broke down these guys get over the years. It was worse than I thought it would be. For example, Felix Jones ran something like a 4.47 40 at the 2008 Combine, while this weekend at the inaugural veteran combine, he could only manage a 4.79 and 4.85.



No doubt the NFL accelerates your aging, and is why they get paid so much and highly admired.

But 4.79 - 4.47 is only 0.32 seconds. Boy, wouldn't 'non-NFL' guys like us kill for a 4.79, like these "broken down" players.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

This was an eye-opener for me, but maybe it shouldn't have been. Obviously, playing pro football is rough on the body. The results at the veteran combine appear to show how broke down these guys get over the years. It was worse than I thought it would be. For example, Felix Jones ran something like a 4.47 40 at the 2008 Combine, while this weekend at the inaugural veteran combine, he could only manage a 4.79 and 4.85.



No doubt the NFL accelerates your aging, and is why they get paid so much and highly admired.

But 4.79 - 4.47 is only 0.32 seconds. Boy, wouldn't 'non-NFL' guys like us kill for a 4.79, like these "broken down" players.

In football terms, that's huge. Hell in normal, fairly in-shape person terms, a third of a second is like two-and-a-half yards.

 

[Robotech]

They were electronically timing guys at the vet combine, versus hand timing at the actual combine. That's typically good for 0.1-0.15 seconds. Not saying that makes for good times, but Michael Bush, for instance, might still be able to get it done. He's not a speed guy anyway. Worse for Jones, as speed is really all he ever brought to the table.

I'm pretty sure that they do electronic timing at the regular combine. On the other hand, I thought I read that the times given at the veteran combine were hand-timed. I think one scout even had Michael Bush timed at about 5 seconds. Ouch.

This was an eye-opener for me, but maybe it shouldn't have been. Obviously, playing pro football is rough on the body. The results at the veteran combine appear to show how broke down these guys get over the years. It was worse than I thought it would be. For example, Felix Jones ran something like a 4.47 40 at the 2008 Combine, while this weekend at the inaugural veteran combine, he could only manage a 4.79 and 4.85.



No doubt the NFL accelerates your aging, and is why they get paid so much and highly admired.

But 4.79 - 4.47 is only 0.32 seconds. Boy, wouldn't 'non-NFL' guys like us kill for a 4.79, like these "broken down" players.

LOL, I guess all these guys are still in good shape compared to the average person. This is kinda off-subject, but I truly believe there is an athlete inside of all of us. It just depends on what kind of sport suits a person. Some of us have more fast twitch muscles, while others have more slow twitch muscles. I would venture to guess that many men who are Felix Jones' age (27 years old) can run faster than a 4.79, especially since they haven't been exposed to all the hits that Jones has taken. Felix Jones is probably sad about how slow he is right now. He went from having the 40 time of a speedy RB to having the 40 time of a slow linebacker.

 

[SteelersPride]

the only viable prospect was adam carriker

 

[Robotech]

the only viable prospect was adam carriker

I read that he had 40 reps on the bench press, which is three reps better than the best performer at this year's regular combine. Perhaps this is further evidence that strength is the last thing to go when an athlete ages.

 

[SteelersPride]

I read that he had 40 reps on the bench press, which is three reps better than the best performer at this year's regular combine. Perhaps this is further evidence that strength is the last thing to go when an athlete ages.

yeah have u seen james harrison lately

 

[Pattersonca65]

I read that he had 40 reps on the bench press, which is three reps better than the best performer at this year's regular combine. Perhaps this is further evidence that strength is the last thing to go when an athlete ages.

Strength stays a long time. I lifted heavy up until my mid to late 30's. I can still get up to my old weight if I really tried, just the darn joint injuries flare up