FOX Sports Digital
Yeeeeeehaw. Football is here. The offseason didn’t feel quite as long as normal, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup filling my schedule with outstanding sporting experiences. But, man, I’m excited for the NFL season to get underway. And even if we’re still a long way away from the regular season, there might not be any better time of year than training camp. If you’ve never attended a practice, I’d strongly recommend dropping into your favorite team’s camp. It’s a whole different side to the sport. Speaking of which — I want to dig into that a little bit, especially because every camp will be underway by the end of the week. But first, give me the chance to welcome you back. If you’re returning, I appreciate you for checking back in. If you’re new, thanks for coming to the party. This is my weekly column that runs every Monday. Yup, this is Sound Smart, where I try to spin forward, dive deeper, think outside the box and read between the lines. Training camp is the beginning. It’s the time of year when players begin to earn — or begin to lose — their jobs. It’s the time of year when coaches earn — or don’t earn — their salaries. It’s the time of year when champions decide that this is their year. This is really their year. There are times when training camp is just another football practice, a distant relative of what you’d see at your local high school. But most practices are not like that, because no one has lost a game yet. Everyone’s job is on the line. And there’s a sense of optimism — both for the downtrodden franchises and the ones that will actually compete for a title. Training camp is the beginning — a beginning full of hope for every team. The season is about building game plans and devising specific paths to victory. But training camp is about building out the playbook, building out the fundamentals and developing identity. And coincidentally, Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay took folks behind the scenes — albeit unintentionally — of what training camp will be like for the Super Bowl favorites. Ahead of camp, there were two examples of McVay’s coaching style that went viral on social media. Both informed what it will be like for Rams players when they begin training camp on Monday. The first was an interview with the "Bussin’ With The Boys" podcast when McVay spoke about the type of players he wants on his 90-man camp roster. He said there are "non-negotiables" when he searches for players. Obviously, they have to have NFL-level talent. But beyond that, McVay looks for guys who have a history of overcoming adversity. "If [adversity] shapes you and callouses you the right way, growth demands that discomfort," McVay said. He added: "I think that more than anything, especially because of some of the things I’ve gone through where I look back and say, ‘Man, I did...
