Do NFL Players Skip OTAs?

min read
Deebo Samuel skipped some OTAs in 2022.
(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Chase Kiddy @chaseakiddy May 10, 2023, 3:10 PM

NFL players do sometimes skip OTAs, or organized training activities.ย 

Technically speaking, OTAs are not mandatory, but most players attend them as if they were in order to maintain good standing with the team. However, a small number of players may skip OTAs for a variety of reasons.ย 

One of the most popularly discussed reasons is when a player wishes to signal his displeasure with a team over an upcoming contract negotiation; players who feel they deserve (but have not yet gotten) a new contract may skip summer training exercises like OTAs in order to exert pressure on the organization.ย 

Other powerful players may choose to skip OTAs simply because they can, electing to work out on their own instead.

Do NFL Players Get Fined for Skipping OTAs?

No, NFL players are not fined for skipping OTAs. The CBA explicitly states that OTAs are optional, which means teams cannot fine players over their lack of attendance.ย 

NFL minicamps are fundamentally different from OTAs because they mandate attendance. If a player skips his minicamp, then he can be fined.

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About the Author

Chase Kiddy

Read More @chaseakiddy

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.