Why Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski Believes in Starters Playing Preseason Games
Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski explains why he believes in starters playing in preseason games to get ready for the regular season.
Video Transcript
I spent a lot of time thinking about this.
And one of the things that you learn, uh, from, uh, the data that medical provides you is how much you should do, what playing in these games, what playing in joint practices does to your first few weeks of the season from a soft tissue perspective, which I believe in.
There's great data that is shared with us at the league meetings and, um, we've tried to follow through on a lot of that.
So, Getting 10 number of plays in, in preseason, getting two joint practices, I, I think sets you up for success in the fall.
It's not a guarantee of anything, but, uh, it does set you up.
So we have a plan.
Uh, we'll see how many plays we get.
I also know I want to get down there and, and see what the game looks like and how the guys are doing and that type of thing, but, um.
Starters will play, um, their playtime will vary by person, um, in terms of what we end up doing with each player.
The soft tissue data, is it a matter of not getting them too many snaps or getting them enough snaps?
I think enough.
I think enough.
I, I think there's a, a sweet spot there.
Again, that's, uh, it's not.
100% like, like anything.
Um, but I do think there's something to be said for, we use the word callous, but getting your bodies ready for a season and not and not overdoing it either, um, you know.
Not that I've been doing this forever, but back when it was 4 preseason games, it was always, you know, 10 plays in the first game, 1st quarter in the second game, uh , you know, into the second quarter, maybe get a 2-minute drive at the, uh, and then come out of the halftime in the 3rd game.
So you, you'd play the first half, and you'd come out of the halftime and put a drive together in the 3rd game, and then you wouldn't play in the 4th game.
So, uh, that's how everybody always did it and, and it's changed.
And I know the number of preseason games has changed as well.
Um, I don't know if there's one right way or wrong way, but I, I do trust in having all this data available to us and, and make sure that we put our guys in position to be set up for success week 1 through week 17 and so on if you earn the plus part of that.
So, uh, just try to be very intentional about how you put the training camp together, the preseason plan together, all in an effort to get ready for what is, as we all know, a long season.
