First of all, not everyone trains during the offseason. To be precise, most players don't. The majority only start gradually getting back into shape when the team's mini-camp approaches. The longer a player has been in the league, the truer this tends to be.
Secondly, offseason training is divided into two types: physical training and technical training. But regardless of which type, the first priority is always avoiding injury.
Physical training is straightforward—mostly hitting the gym, building muscle, increasing speed, and improving endurance. This usually involves hiring a personal trainer.
Technical training, on the other hand, focuses on polishing skills without involving actual game tactics. This includes quarterbacks working on their throws, wide receivers practicing catches, defensive ends working on tackles, running backs refining their footwork, and so on.
Football may be a sport grounded in physical confrontation, but it also involves a high degree of technical skill.
Back when Burns dragged Lance into the team, he once said that the entry threshold for football wasn't that high, and the difference in skills between various positions wasn't too dramatic. But that was just for beginners. If one wanted to take things further, polishing technique became just as important as building physical strength—
Take Cam Newton, the quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, for example. His throwing mechanics were rough, and even after several years in the league, there was little improvement. He still relied heavily on his physical prowess. If he could run the ball and bulldoze through defenses, why spend extra time and effort trying to polish his passing game?
But if it's technical training, you can't do it alone. That's why offseason training often gathers a group of buddies for joint practice.
And it doesn't have to be limited to one's own team.
This is the NFL, after all. Roster changes are constant, and players move around frequently. Friendships and connections across teams are common.
Clearly, Watt's call was to invite Lance to join his mini-training camp—
Primarily for technical drills, though physical conditioning would definitely not be neglected. After all, the person on the other end of the phone was famously known as the gym warrior of the entire league.
It was a bit unexpected but also a pleasant surprise.
But—
Lance's first thought was, "How's your recovery?"
The second thought that immediately followed was, "Would Houston fans be okay with you inviting the guy who ended your season to join your mini-training camp?"
The first question made the atmosphere a bit heavy, but the second one lightened it up again. Watt couldn't help but chuckle.
"They can handle it."
The playful tone in Watt's voice made Lance laugh too, but his smile quickly faded, and he asked sincerely, "JJ, I'm serious. Are you okay?"
On one side, Berry had finally completed his long recovery and was ready to return to the field, only to discover an even worse issue, forcing him back into that endless cycle of treatment, postponing all his ambitions once again.
On the other side, Watt had struggled through three long, grueling seasons.
In 2015, Watt played with a cast, recording an unbelievable 17.5 sacks. But that was just the visible injuries. The ones the fans couldn't see were far worse—
At the beginning of the season, he suffered partial tears in his left and right abdominal muscles, a partial tear in his right adductor muscle, a complete tear in his left adductor longus, and a complete tear in his left adductor magnus.
Midseason, he herniated a disc in his back.
By the end of the season, he had a groin strain.
Even playing through all of that, he still delivered an incredible season, earning him praise as the "toughest guy in the league." But the cost was brutal.
That offseason, Watt had two back surgeries within three months. But he still wasn't fully recovered, and after just three games in the 2016 season, he was out for the year.
After a long and grueling recovery, he finally came back healthy for the 2017 season, only to be out again after five games.
Even as just an observer, Lance could feel the frustration and anguish, even the rage. For Watt, the one who actually lived through it, it must have been far worse.
Honestly, Lance and Watt weren't friends—not even acquaintances. They had never met. But Lance had always admired Watt—for his resilience and his determination.
After the AFC Championship, a reporter had asked Lance if he thought that superstars like JJ Watt or Aaron Donald were becoming outdated and that a team-based defensive line like the Jacksonville Jaguars posed a bigger threat.
At the time, Lance didn't comment on the technical aspect. He still didn't know enough about football to make grand statements about the future. But he did say he believed in Watt.
"If anyone thinks Watt and Donald's era is over, that's laughable."
As a player, as a warrior, Lance respected Watt for his spirit both on and off the field. To him, that was part of what made sports so inspiring.
Watt was silent for a moment, clearly caught off guard. He could hear the sincerity in Lance's voice. It wasn't just a polite question—it was genuine concern.
Instinctively, Watt wanted to say "I'm fine." It had become a habit. Whether it was his mom, his brothers, his teammates, or even the nurses and physical therapists, everyone asked him how he was doing. In their voices, there was always a hint of pity, even if they tried to hide it.
He didn't need pity.
But Lance didn't sound like that.
There was a warmth and camaraderie in his tone.
Maybe because of that, or maybe because Lance was still a relative stranger, Watt found it easier to speak the truth.
"I'm not fine," Watt said.
And once he said it, a weight seemed to lift off his shoulders.
"I've been trying to make peace with it—with my frustration, my disappointment, my pain. But things are bad, man. I feel like a pile of garbage."
"I know what I'm supposed to do, trust me. I know it all."
"I need to fight against my own body. Day after day of rehab and training, one tiny step at a time. I'm on the right path—I know that."
"I understand I shouldn't get upset because progress is slow, or get angry because my body doesn't work like it used to. If I let that affect my recovery, I won't be ready by September, and that would be the real disaster."
"I know that when it comes to problems like this, there are only two main reactions: anger or complaints. But that doesn't help. No matter how angry or frustrated I get, I still have to stay optimistic and keep moving forward."
"These last two years, my body and spirit have been battered and scarred. But I don't want to let these injuries define me. I don't want people calling me a 'tough guy.' I don't want to be that 'what if.'"
"What if he didn't get injured?"
"What if he changed his playing style?"
"See? I understand all that. But…"
Watt took a deep breath and then went silent. Even without words, Lance could feel the sadness and confusion from the other end of the line.
Lance understood.
Knowing all the right things to do didn't make life any easier. Because life wasn't a math problem—you couldn't just apply the right formula and get the right answer.
Or maybe… there was never a right answer to begin with.
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Powerstones?
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