NFLPA: Coughlin needs to grab a dictionary after jabs at camp no-shows

Jaguars VP said 'every player' should be at camp; NFLPA says they don't

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jaguars executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin used his moments at the state of the franchise on Thursday to drive home the point of discipline, and chide the two players who were absent from the team's minicamp.

Voluntary means mandatory in the Coughlin Way, to which the NFL Players Association replied, grab a dictionary and a copy of the collective bargaining agreement, Tom.

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While Coughlin didn't mention cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker Telvin Smith by name, it was clear that his remarks were directed to the no-shows. 

“Our CBA definition of voluntary is the same as the actual definition of voluntary and prohibits anyone from threatening players to participate in voluntary workouts," NFLPA president Eric Winston wrote on Twitter. "This is precisely the reason players negotiated strict work rules and bright lines when it comes to offseason activities. We know, from experience, that not all coaches and executives will adhere to them and we always pursue any violations to protect our rules.”

Coughlin's remarks shouldn’t have come as a surprise. 

Always a stickler for authority, accountability and, even when it's not mandatory, availability, said that “every player should be here,” for the team’s minicamp.

"Success in the NFL demands struggle," he said. "Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish and insensitive to the real values of team. The hard work that many try to avoid is the major building block for the development of an outstanding football team.”

That could have run into issues with the league's collective bargaining agreement, which states in Article 21, Section 5(a): “No Club official may indicate to a player that the Club’s offseason workout program or classroom instruction is not voluntary.”

 


About the Author:

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.