A little over a year ago, when multiple major college stars declined to participate in any workout portion of the league’s annual scouting combine, an AFC general manager pointed to the growing trend as the arrival of the “opt-out” generation.
As I pulled together a story about it, I spent days listening to decision makers inside the league either grouse or contextualize it. To many, it was an example of a troubling new norm, where some NFL Draft prospects didn’t see the pre-draft process as necessary to make a successful transition into the league. To others, it was an example of players taking power into their own hands and refusing to take part in something that would likely only hurt them.