J.C. Tretter warned us the Cleveland Browns, NFL injury bug was coming

The Cleveland Browns have been ravaged by injuries, and J.C. Tretter expected it.

The Cleveland Browns and other teams around the NFL have been hit hard with a variety of injuires, both big and small, during training camp.

Cleveland Browns center and NFLPA president J.C. Tretter wrote about player safety on the NFLPA’s website back on July 7th. He was focusing more on the changes needed to keep players safe regarding the COVID pandemic but also mentioned possible repercussions regarding the long layoff caused by it.

One of the most significant concerns he gave was injuries and how players would potentially deal with more injuries this season.

"We did our due diligence and reviewed the impact of returning to play football after an unusually long period away. For example, following the extended break after the 2011 lockout, injuries increased by 25%. Achilles injuries more than doubled and hamstring strains went up 44%.– J.C. Tretter via the NFLPA website"

According to Tretter, the NFLPA and NFL formed a committee of doctors to help get players safely up to speed. He went on to write that the NFL initially followed the guidelines of the committee and implemented multiple suggestions. They agreed to no fans at training camp and no joint practices. The NFL was unbending in one key area.

Extended Training Camp and Preseason

The committee, according to Tretter, went to the NFL with a suggestion of a 48-day training camp schedule intended to get players in football shape safely. Even with all the data provided to the NFL regarding a potential spike in injuries from this committee of experts, the NFL refused to implement the longer training camp schedule. Right now, the Browns would likely agree with them.

Based on Pro Football Reference, the current injury count in the NFL is 210 players, but 61 are opt-outs. That leaves 149 players currently on the NFL injury list. According to NFL.com’s Week 1 injury list, 113 players are either listed as out or at least on the list with an injury. It looks as though the longer camp may have been something the NFL should have taken more seriously.

The NFL also initially pushed against the committee’s recommendation of canceling the preseason. They pushed initially for a two preseason game schedule, referencing ‘it was important to stage preseason games to check how our game protocols will work.’ When asked for a medical reason why preseason games need to be played in a pandemic, the NFL had no answer. The NFLPA voted for no preseason games, and eventually, the NFL agreed.

It makes you wonder if the NFL would have listened to the same group regarding how to handle training camp if the injury list for the Browns and the rest of the NFL would look a little different right now.