Making the cut for an NFL team is a very difficult task. Football is one of the most physical and mentally challenging sports there is. Not many can handle the grind of a regular season, and there are plenty of others who do not possess the stamina and skill to make an NFL roster. Each NFL team is allowed to have 53 players on the roster. One may think due to the large roster that it may be easy to get a spot, but that is far from the case. There are many players who have weaknesses exploited in practice sessions, combine recordings and training camps. So what do NFL players do if they told they do not make the team?
For starters, football players come to a big fork in the road, and they have to choose whether or not it is worth continuing to pursue an NFL career or if they should soldier on in hopes that one team will find a spot for them. For NFL players that are released, they are placed on waivers for 24 hours. Teams in a specific inverted order of rankings get a crack at the player if they are interested and hold private workout sessions to gauge their ability and health. If players do not make the NFL roster, there is still a chance for them to make a practice squad and gradually work their way up.
If players make practice squads, they are eligible to stay there for two years, bearing in mind that in the NFL, one year is equivalent to approximately two to three weeks. If signed to an active roster, they are eligible for three paychecks. Anyone who has not been in the NFL for a full year will be eligible to make a practice squad.
Free agents with two years experience in the NFL are also given free memberships to gyms located in certain states across the country including Arizona and California. These gyms are run by EXOS, funded for by the NFL Players’ Association, and give retired players and cut players to stay in tip-top shape.
The road to becoming a regular on an NFL roster can be very difficult, but there are other avenues available for players who have important life decisions to make.