We're Back! What Happens During the NFL Offseason?

🏈 Huddles & Heels is back!

Football season may still be a few months away, but the excitement is already building. Rookie camps have opened, organized team activities (OTAs) are underway, veterans are reporting, and training camp is right around the corner.

But what exactly happens during the NFL offseason?

In this episode, we're breaking down everything that takes place between the Super Bowl and Week 1, including:

🏈 Free Agency
🏈 The NFL Draft
🏈 Rookie Minicamp
🏈 OTAs (Organized Team Activities)
🏈 Mandatory Minicamp
🏈 Training Camp

You'll learn why football fans are already talking about next season, what all of those offseason headlines actually mean, and how teams prepare for the long road to kickoff.

Plus, we're sharing a sneak peek of what's coming up in future episodes as we kick off our Football Fundamentals series, including:

👠 Receiver Routes 101
👠 Football Terms Everyone Uses But Nobody Explains
👠 Understanding Common Penalties
👠 Different Types of Offensive Plays
👠 How to Watch Football Like a Pro

Whether you're brand new to football or just looking to understand the game a little better, this is the perfect place to start.

So grab your favorite jersey, settle in, and let's get ready for football season together.

Wear your heels, rock the jersey, and don't be afraid to yell at the TV.

🎧 Enjoying the show? Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review Huddles & Heels wherever you listen—it helps more women find the podcast and join the huddle!

💌 Grab your free Fantasy Football Playbook and join the email squad.  

📲 Let’s connect on Instagram: @huddlesandheels

📩 Have a question or topic idea? DM me or email cindy@huddlesandheels.net

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Welcome to Huddles and Heels, where football finally makes sense and no one's yelling at you for asking questions. I'm Cindy, chiropractor, boy mom, and football fanatic. If you've ever sat through a game completely confused but really wanting to understand it, then you are in the right place. Each week I'll help you learn the rules, the plays, and the lingo, but without all the mansplaining. And yes, we'll also talk about the game day snacks, the cocktails, and the cute outfits too. Whether you're here for the highlights or the halftime show, this is Huddles and Heals. Let's get into it. Let me tell you, I am so excited to be back behind the microphone. And if you do not already know, Huddles and Heals is a podcast that helps women understand and enjoy football without all the mansplaining. So, first things first, where have I been? Well, life happened. If you have listened to my podcast before, you know that I own a chiropractic practice here in the Tampa Bay area. I'm a football fanatic, but I am also a mom. My oldest son just finished his first year of college at the University of South Florida, Go Bulls. And my youngest son keeps me on my toes every single day as I navigate this world of parenting, especially with a nonverbal autistic child who also has other medical issues. We have had open heart surgery, rescheduled more than a half a dozen times than the last year. So life was just a little bit hectic. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, huddles and heels just ended up getting a little off season of its own. But just like football, we are back. And honestly, I think that this is the perfect time to jump back in because football is just starting to wake up again. The players are reporting, rookies are signing contracts, coaches are evaluating talent, and fans everywhere already starting to convince themselves that this is finally their team's year. So today we're talking a little bit about what actually happens during the NFL off season, which is where we are in the NFL calendar right now. It is June 2026. And we're also going to talk about what you should be paying attention to as we get closer to kickoff. So grab your coffee or iced tea or protein shake or whatever your favorite game day beverage is, and let's get into it. If you are new to football, you may be thinking, didn't the season end with the Super Bowl? Most people think that the NFL disappears from February to early September, but meanwhile, other football fans are over here obsessing over free agency, the draft, training camp reports, rookie highlights, injuries that happened in the offseason, or the rehab and recovery of people that had injuries last year. In reality, the NFL is a year-round machine. The games stop, but the work does not. The teams are evaluating players, coaches are studying films, scouts are preparing for the draft, players are training, general managers are improving their roster. To give you a metaphor of something you may understand better, it is kind of like Target. The moment one holiday ends, they are already setting up displays for the next one or even the next two holidays, depending on how far in advance we are. Football is the same. The Super Bowl ends, and immediately we are preparing for the next season. So let's talk first about some coaching changes. One of the things that happens after the season ends is generally there are coaching changes, right? Some coaches retire, some coaches get fired, some get promoted, some move to new teams. A new coach can completely change the direction of the franchise. It's kind of like getting a new principal at your child's school. The students are still there, the building is still there, but suddenly there's new expectations, new rules, and really a new vision for how things are going to operate. And that is really similar to what happens when a team hires a new coach. There have been a lot of coaching changes since the end of last season. I am not going to go over all of them, but there were a couple that got a lot of attention. So, first of all, Mike Tomlin. He was the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2007. And he left that organization and was replaced by Mike McCarthy. Another one is Sean McDermott, who has had a relatively successful career coaching the Buffalo Bills. I mean, he got them to the AFC Championship game this past year, but he was fired after losing it. And it seemed like the owners did not believe that he was the man who could get them over that hump and take them to the Super Bowl. He was replaced by Joe Brady, who was their offensive coordinator last year. So Josh Allen is super familiar with him and comfortable with him. And then there was John Harbaugh, who was fired from the Baltimore Ravens after coaching there for 18 years. And a fun little fact about the Baltimore Ravens, they have kept coaches for very long periods of time. They are like serial monogamous. John Harbaugh was only the third head coach that they have had in their organization. So I guess we will see if that trend continues on with their new head coach, Jesse Minter. Another thing that we talk about during the NFL offseason is free agency. So every NFL player signs a contract, right? When that contract expires, they are free to negotiate with other teams. It's football's version of job shopping. So let's go back to the school analogy. Imagine if every few years your favorite teacher could interview with every school district in the country and decide where they wanted to work next. That is free agency. Fans spend weeks refreshing social media and reacting dramatically every time a player signs somewhere new. Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes it brings a lot of hope and energy to your team, and sometimes it's heartbreaking. Sometimes your favorite player leaves. So a few notable free agent moves this year. Kyler Murray went from the Arizona Cardinals to the Minnesota Vikings. Another one is Trey Hendrickson. He is the defensive end that formerly with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was one of the more sought-after defensive free agents this past year, and he signed with the Baltimore Ravens. And the one that personally broke my heart was Mike Evans. Mike Evans, future Hall of Fame wide receiver, left my Tampa Bay Buccaneers to sign with the San Francisco 49ers. Okay, moving on. The next thing that comes during the offseason, which we have already had as well, was the NFL draft. So this was in April, and the draft is essentially the NFL's largest hiring event. All the new kids coming out of school. The teams evaluate college players all year long. They get up-close looks at many of the players at the Combine, which is like an NFL job fair with physical skills tests. During the draft, teams select players that they want on their roster. For the players, it's a realization of a lifelong dream. For fans, despite having zero professional scouting experience, the draft is an opportunity to immediately decide whether their team has made brilliant choices or terrible decisions. It's always funny to listen to French, to watch social media, and to see some of the extreme reactions that people have to their team's draft choices. Really, it's just quite entertaining. And honestly, it's one of my favorite parts about football, is to see those reactions. As expected, Heisman Trophy winner, NCAA national champion, quarterback Fernando Mendoza went first in the draft this year to the Las Vegas Raiders. I really think that we'll start talking a lot more about the rookies and kind of the draft choices as training camp gets underway later this summer. All right, let's move on a little bit. To me, this is one of the most exciting parts of the offseason because now we start to see some different things. There are rookie mini camps that are starting to happen where the teams bring in the rookies that they that they drafted or that they signed. This means that the newest players entering the league, it's exciting. The speed of the game is new, the expectations are different, the playbooks are different from what they've had in college. Those rookies and those new players have a lot to do. And they now have to get used to a lot of media attention. They are learning what it's like to be a professional football player. And let's be honest, some of them are learning they can no longer dominate because while in college they were the best athlete on the field, but now they are in the NFL. And in the NFL, everybody is elite. So another thing that happens this time of year is OTAs. OTAs, if you have heard that term, means organized team activities. It's like football practice with training wheels. The coaches are teaching, players are learning, playbooks are being installed, timing is being developed. There's very limited contact. We don't want anybody tackling, no big collisions. We don't want any injuries. These practices are more about learning than they are about competing. And every year somebody posts a video clip from an OTA, and fans immediately start planning their Super Bowl because the quarterback had an amazing throw in OTA or receiver had an amazing one-and grab in an OTA. And yes, that is very exciting, but we gotta keep context in mind. This is still OTAs. They are not out there going crazy. This is not super competitive, but it is fun and it is exciting to see them on the field starting to play, starting to work things out, starting to gain that chemistry. So it's okay to get excited, but maybe hold off on buying your plane tickets for the Super Bowl. Don't be that person. But what happens next? So in a couple weeks, a lot of the teams will have a mandatory minicamp. This is the final step that teams have before having a little bit of a summer break. Here in Tampa, the mandatory minicamp is June 16th to 18th. So it's in just another week or two. The attendance is required, hence the term mandatory. But there are always some players that don't show up for various reasons. Sometimes it's injuries, surgeries, rehab, that sort of thing. Every now and then there's a contract holdout, stuff like that. But this is the time of year where generally rumors tend to start about which players may not be happy with their teams. It's a great opportunity for coaches to get one last look at their players before training camp begins. And it's a really good time where coaches can now start to get a better strategy for training camp. So I think that between mandatory mini camp and when training camp starts, the brunt of the work is actually being done by the coaching staff, which then walks us into training camps. This is when football starts to feel real again, right? It's when players report for serious preparation. This is when the position battles start to happen. This is when rookies are trying to earn their roster spots. Usually teams have like 90 players coming to training camp, but a final roster is 53 players. And I think there's another 17 on the team's practice squad. So there are a lot of people that are invited to training camp. They're showing up, they're signed to play in training camp, and they're not going to make the team. It's when veterans have to fight for their jobs sometimes. Just because you are a veteran, because you have a contract with that team, if you're not like one of the star players, you may not actually make the team. There have been veterans that get cut. Training camp is also where coaches start to identify who will be the ones that are really helping their team. It seems like every year in training camp, there are some surprises. There are these breakout players that were flying under the radar, that all of a sudden they become household names. A lot of times it's rookies that are really exceeding expectations. Training camp is often where the storylines really begin. And then starts preseason. Pre-season is when we start moving into actual games. And these games don't count towards regular season standings. Their purpose is purely evaluation. Coaches are deciding who is going to make the roster. Players are competing for jobs. Oftentimes the starters or the star players either do not play at all or really just play minimal time during those preseason games. But you have to keep in mind it is just preseason. It has a purpose. But I also think it's kind of just tradition for fans starting to get excited and overreacting during this time. And if you're one of those people, it's all right, go right ahead. We may laugh at you, but go right ahead. If you are still just learning about football, here's what I recommend. Don't pay attention, don't stress out about, and don't worry about learning about salary cap details, defensive schemes, contract language, the advanced analytics and statistics. Don't worry about those things. You'll learn about those things over time. What you need to pay attention to right now is the exciting rookies, the training camp stories, the position battles, injury updates, because those are the things that are super important because they're going to play a role long term. Those are the things that'll shape the season even before it begins. And here's a little secret when football fans start saying things like, This rookie looks incredible, or our offense is going to be unstoppable, or this is finally our year. Just keep in mind and just know that hope is one of football's most powerful traditions. Hope. You must always have hope. All right, before we go, it's time to break out a brand new segment that we're gonna have on all of our episodes. It is time for the very first Huddles Hottie of the Week. So, ladies, let me clarify: the Huddles Hottie is not necessarily the most attractive player in football, although I fully acknowledge that may occasionally influence the selection process. The Huddles Hottie is the player you should know. It's a player you should watch or a player that may just help you sound a little smarter at your next tailgate or football party. And for our very first Huddles Hottie, we are going to stay right here in the 813. We are going to stay right here in Tampa Bay. Our inaugural Huddles Hottie of the Week is Mr. Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfield is entering another season as a quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And what is fascinating to me about Baker's story is that it isn't one of overnight success. He was a walk-on in college and he transferred to Oklahoma where he won the Heisman Trophy. He was drafted first in the NFL draft to the Cleveland Browns. And there he experienced some incredible highs, but also some lows. And he ended up bouncing around to multiple teams. And over that time, he had plenty of people writing him off, but then he landed in Tampa. And here he has completely reinvented himself. But honestly, those are qualities that make him super fun to watch. Plus, he has one of the best redemption stories in the NFL. So if you're new to football, keep your eye on Baker Mayfield. He is our first ever Huddles Hottie of the Week. So, Baker, if by some miracle you're listening, congratulations. Your trophy is imaginary, but your title is forever. So before we wrap up, I want to give you a little bit of a preview as for what's coming on this season of Huddles and Heels. If you ever sat on the couch during a football game and wondered why receivers all seem to run around in different directions and it just seems like chaos, don't worry. We have an episode coming up where we finally decode receiver routes and help you understand what quarterbacks are actually looking for before they throw the ball. Have you ever heard someone say, like, what a great screen pass and nodded along like you knew exactly what they meant? We're gonna fix that too. We're gonna break down some of the most common plays in football so that you can start recognizing them in real time. We're also gonna talk about defense because let's be honest, most people learn offense first, but defense happens to be my favorite. We're gonna make blitzes, coverages, linebackers, safeties all make sense without needing a coaching degree. And as we get closer to the season, we're gonna dive into training camp, roster battles, rookie storylines, and all the things that football fans suddenly become obsessed with every single summer. We're gonna talk fantasy football again, penalties, game day traditions, some of the little details that make watching football a whole lot more fun. So whether you are brand new to football, trying to keep up with your football-loving family, or you are already a fan and just want to understand the game at a deeper level, you're in the right place. We're going to learn, laugh, and probably yell at the TV a little bit together this season. Thank you so much for joining me for the first episode of season two of Huddles and Heels. If you've enjoyed today's episode, please be sure to subscribe, follow, share it with another woman who wants to learn about football without feeling intimidated. Next week, we're gonna dive into one of the most important building blocks of football, receiver routes. Trust me, once you understand routes, you will start seeing the game completely different. So until next time, wear your heels, rock your jersey, and don't be afraid to yell at the TV. Bye, ladies.