Football is back!
Well, sort of. Preseason football is back and though that might not mean anything to the casual sports fan, or even avid football fans, this year?s preseason is shaping up to be an exciting one.
The most exciting sports story in the world year after year is clearly whether or not the footballs used by the New England Patriots are inflated properly. Any official game football must be defeated or inflated to 13.0 PSI in order to adhere to NFL standards.
Okay, maybe we?re all sick of any talk about football PSI levels, but there actually are plenty of interesting and exciting stories that will take place throughout the next few weeks.
Here are some of the most intriguing stories about the 2018 NFL preseason:
Jon Gruden Coaching
The most entertaining broadcaster is now back on the gridiron. From 1998 to 2001, Gruden was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders and then the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2002 to 2008, winning Super Bowl XXXVII in his first year with Tampa. After nine years away from coaching, he signed a 10-year, $100 million contract with the Raiders.
Young and Talented Quarterbacks
This preseason will showcase plenty of young and talented quarterbacks. Between the 2017 and 2018 draft classes, eight quarterbacks were drafted in the first round. Deshaun Watson, Mitchell Trubisky, Dak Prescott, and Patrick Mahomes will look to make their mark on this year’s season, starting with the preseason.
The Return of Andrew Luck and J.J Watt
Andrew Luck was one of the best quarterbacks in the league a few years ago. He hasn’t played football in over 580 days. Now, he will take the helm once again for the Indianapolis Colts. On the defensive side of the ball, one of the best players ever is making his return from injury as well: J.J. Watt.
According to NFL.com, J.J. Watt suffered a brutal fracture last year just five games in a Sunday night loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Roughly four out of five urgent care centers provide fracture care, but they weren’t able to get Watt back on the field last year — he was out for the rest of the season.
“I can’t sugarcoat it, I am devastated,” Watt said last season. “All I want to do is be out there on that field for my teammates and this city. I’m sorry.”
Make no mistake about it, Watt is back.
The New Catch Rule
This preseason will give viewers the first glimpse of the new catch rule that so many football fans are talking about. NFL officials will be implementing the new catch rule, which was voted in unanimously by all 32 team owners and (hopefully) will clear up all the confusion surrounding catches. Here are the NFL competition committee recommendations on the new catch rule:
- Control
- Two feet down or another body part
- A football move such as a third step, reaching or extending for the line-to-gain, or the ability to perform such an act.
Whether you?re a big-time football fan or just a casual sports fan, if you catch a preseason game this year, you are likely in for some good old-fashioned entertainment.
