The head coach said he most be fired.” Due to their major miscommunication, a key player for Los Angeles has stated he will leave the team if his…

The head coach said he most be fired.” Due to their major miscommunication, a key player for Los Angeles has stated he will leave the team if his…

24 of the 32 NFL teams are headed to 2022 after the regular season concluded on Sunday night one week ago. This weekend sees six teams eliminated from the playoffs.
Even after over 30 years of watching the game, the finality of the season’s conclusion still astounds me.

One day, the team facilities is a hive of movement and activity as players, coaches, and staff get ready for the next game. When there isn’t a game to prepare for the next day, the majority of that group packs up and departs, with some of them making their final walk out of the facility. The football organization goes from in-season to off-season in a matter of hours. The change is abrupt and, in my opinion, a little depressing.

On the day of departure, the athletes pack their lockers, bid farewell to one another, and go for, in my case, warmer climates (the Packers). I recall feeling a lot like a camp counselor at the end of the summer as I stood by the door to the parking lot waving farewell to the players. I will never forget a player asking, “Andrew, do you have to stay here?” as they peered curiously at me. With a sigh, I acknowledged that it was my duty.

The game of football is replaced by the business of football as soon as this annual ritual—which currently involves 24 teams—occurs, followed by four more the following week, two more the week after, and two more after the Super Bowl. It was a “we time” season, and in the best interests of the