The Rookie Handbook: How to Survive the First Season in the NFL
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About this ebook
Congratulations, you just got drafted into the NFL. Now what?
Here’s what’s ahead of you: rigorous training, complicated playbooks, financial conundrums, intense pressure to perform—and temptation. Welcome to the big leagues.
Informative, smart, funny, and beautifully illustrated, The Rookie Handbook has everything NFL rookies need to know to survive their first season of pro football, straight from veterans Ryan Kalil, Jordan Gross, and Geoff Hangartner. The three authors have a combined thirty years of NFL experience, but they too were rookies themselves, once upon a time.
Much like rookies, NFL fans only know what they see on TV or read—obsessively following Rich Eisen and scouring obscure blogs for fantasy football info. But when it comes to what goes on in the inner sanctum, behind the locker room doors, it’s a mystery. The Rookie Handbook is the insider’s guide to that exclusive club, pulling back the curtain to reveal how players act and think—and what they do when no one is watching.
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Book preview
The Rookie Handbook - Ryan Kalil
CONTENTS
FOREWORD BY RICH EISEN
ROOKIE AT A GLANCE
SECTION 01. PRE-DRAFT
WHERE TO DO YOUR PRE-DRAFT TRAINING
SELECTING A SPORTS AGENT
CHOOSING YOUR WORKOUT ATTIRE
POKE AND PROD DOCTOR EXAMS
INTERVIEWS WITH COACHES
SECTION 02. DRAFT
TAKING STOCK OF DRAFT STOCK
WHERE TO SPEND YOUR BIG DAY
DRAFTED
UNDRAFTED
SECTION 03. FINANCES
CONTRACT
FINANCIAL ADVISORS & LOANS
THE PRO DISCOUNT
REAL MONEY
DREAM CAR
FUGAZI
THE DEMAND FOR TICKETS
EXPECTATIONS ABOUT ENDORSEMENTS
SECTION 04. ROOKIE DUTIES & RITES OF PASSAGE
TRADITIONS
PREPARING FOR ROOKIE HAIRCUTS
INITIATION BY SONG
SECTION 05. PRESEASON
PRESEASON GAME TAPE
TRAINING CAMP ESSENTIALS
SECRET HALFTIME FOOD
SECTION 06. PRACTICE
PRACTICE TEMPO
FIGHT STRATEGY
BEWARE OF THESE PRACTICE PLAYER TYPES
BEWARE OF THESE PRACTICE COACH TYPES
SECTION 07. MEETINGS
HOW TO HANDLE FILM REVIEW
HOW TO STAY AWAKE
THE IMPORTANCE OF FILM STUDY
DÉJÀ VU COACHING
SECTION 08. GAME TIME
PREGAME MEAL
BATHROOM LOGJAM
WILL CALL
HOME GAME INTRODUCTIONS
SIDELINE BATHROOM BREAK
COACHING EXPERIENCED PLAYERS
SUPPORT YOUR TEAMMATES
AFTER GAME OPPONENT MINGLING
TRASH TALKING
HOW TO ARGUE WITH REFEREES
ONE SNAP AND CLEAR
RESPECT FOR THE GAME
SECTION 09. OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
FOOTBALL IS DANGEROUS
INJURY SYSTEM CHECK TOUGH METER
HIGH FIVES ELBOW PROTECTION
TAKING PERSONAL TIME
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR REHAB
GETTING CUT: STAYING IN SHAPE
AVOIDING RISKY CELEBRATIONS
SECTION 10. MAINTENANCE
PHARMACY
HOW TO APPLY WRIST TAPE
TAKING SUPPLEMENTS
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
COMMON TREATMENTS
SECTION 11. MEDIA
NUDE & INTERVIEWED
GETTING THE PERFECT TEAM PICTURE
GRIT YOUR TEETH ANSWERS
THE REPHRASE INTERVIEW
GIVING OUT YOUR PHONE NUMBER
SECTION 12. TEAM PERSONNEL
THE REALITY OF YOUR ROOKIE CLASS
SECTION 13. LIFE IN THE BIG LEAGUES
KNOW YOUR FANS
HOW TO FIND YOUR SEAT
TEAM DINING TABLE UPGRADE
TIPS ON EQUIPMENT
DEALING WITH YOUR HOTEL ROOMMATE
THE SCALES OF TOLERANCE
OFF-SEASON DRUG TESTING
KNOW YOUR OPTIONS: BYE WEEK
QUICKEST WAYS TO GET CUT
SECTION 14. INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM
TAKING A SHOWER PILL
NEGOTIATING JERSEY NUMBER TRADES
KNOW YOUR HANDSHAKES
PREPARE FOR THE MUSIC WARS
LOCKER-ROOM BETS: THE FINE PRINT
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NICKNAMES
BE PREPARED: THE STADIUM TOUR
A SAMPLING OF PRANKS, JOKES, & SHENANIGANS
SECTION 15. PUBLIC LIFE
THE IMPORTANCE OF SECURITY
QUICK TIPS ON DATING
REPRESENTING YOUR TEAM
LYING ABOUT YOUR JOB
SECTION 16. STEREOTYPES
SECTION 17. POSTSEASON
PRO BOWL
PLAYOFFS
SUPER BOWL
SECTION 18. TWO-MINUTE WARNING
OFF-SEASON: PARTING WORDS
THE ROOKIE HANDBOOK TEAM
FOREWORD
As you get set to take your journey into this important work—and journey
is an accurate assessment of your impending experience (so is the word experience
)—please do know this: Ryan Kalil and Jordan Gross do not hate rookies. Well, Geoff Hangartner might. I don’t know Geoff all that well, but if Kalil and Gross back his play as an F.O.R. (Friend of Rookies), well, then I’m on board. Plus, in Carolina, these three guys protected Cam Newton in what turned out to be one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL quarterbacking history. Now look at Cam. He’s an MVP dabbing all over the place. And on dem folks.
So, if this distinguished trio of offensive linemen were so offended by rookies, why would they then write a smarm-filled primer called The Rookie Handbook?
Let’s be real. Just because the pages that follow make it seem as if rookies are a target of their derision, disgust, and disrespect (the dreaded Three Ds), it’s truly not the case. This book is an actual guide—a road map, if you will—on how one can smartly identify and avoid rookie problems, which, historically and generally, has been a pretty large problem for rookies. And not just in the NFL. Neophytes everywhere would be well-advised to read this tome and take note of what lies in between the lines of the surprisingly cogent and superbly sarcastic prose penned by Kalil and Gross. Oh, yes, and by Hangartner, who Kalil and Gross tell me knows how to write. And read. Although, he’s probably the reason there are so many illustrations in the book.
At any rate, take my word for it. We’ve all been rookies at one point or another, in whatever our endeavors. So The Rookie Handbook will help you. This handbook will help NFL rookies. And, ultimately, by helping you and those crucial newcomers to the NFL, your authors Ryan Kalil, Jordan Gross, and Geoff Hangartner are helping America. Or fantasy football drafters silly enough to risk a high pick on some clueless rookie.
Feel good that you’ve picked up this book. And enjoy. I personally guarantee its freshness.
—RICH EISEN
TO THE ROOKIES IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE & EVERYONE GIVING IT THEIR BEST SHOT
Welcome to The Rookie Handbook, the most comprehensive look inside the life of an NFL rookie ever produced. Its purpose is to help you avoid the common pitfalls most first-time professionals find themselves in. Reading this book will not guarantee that you get drafted, become a starter, or even make the team. This book consists of the bare essentials of what should be a guide to better prepare you and make you feel comfortable in this new environment. And, while we’ve provided a great deal of valuable information, much was left out for you to discover for yourself.
In constructing The Rookie Handbook we realized early on that many of you were not the most scholarly of students and reading may not be your forte. So we took it upon ourselves to present the simplest version we could possibly conceive. The result is an easy-to-read, heavily illustrated reference book that should help you not only increase your chances of surviving your first season, but also of achieving a long and successful NFL career.
Enjoy . . . rookie.
Sincerely,
The Rookie Handbook Team
THE ROOKIE
AT A GLANCE
A. Although you may think you know everything, you don’t. Pay attention, listen, and get in your damn playbook.
B. There's a chance you or some of your fellow rookies will be bankrupt or nearly there about two years after your careers end. Be smart with your money and don’t become another statistic.
C. You’re in the NFL. Congrats! But now everybody wants a piece of you. You need to learn to give your time to those who really care about you and avoid those interested in your fame or fortune.
D. Nerves are normal. If you’re not nervous, something’s wrong. If you’re too nervous, something’s wrong. Relax, it’s not quantum physics . . . it’s still just football.
E. Few sports demand the same strength, speed, and agility needed to succeed in the pros. Take your body seriously, put away the cheese puffs, get off the video games, and start training for professional football. After all, it’s only the greatest opportunity you’ll probably ever have.
SECTION 01
PRE-DRAFT
WHERE TO DO YOUR PRE-DRAFT
TRAINING
Once your final college game is over, your preparation for the draft begins immediately. One of your biggest decisions in preparing for the combine and pro day will be where you should train.
If you’ve already selected an agent, they’ll likely suggest some fancy training facility that specializes in preparing athletes for the NFL draft process. These programs can be beneficial, providing great perks such as massage therapists or customized nutrition plans, but they typically do little to no football training. Their goal is to prepare you for the running and jumping tests at the combine and pro day. Work with your agent to find someone to teach you the football techniques necessary for success at the