While training camp used to be the time for pro athletes to get into game shape, however that has changed and players are now expected to come into camp at or near their best shape. While most players do enter camp ready to go there are some who are not, and that news spreads quickly when players fail their conditioning test.
Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones, wide receiver Andre Holmes and safety Brodney Pool finally passed their conditioning test on Wednesday which means that they can now begin practicing with the team. These three players all failed the test on Sunday which includes players running 60 yards in less than 8 seconds 20 times.
Having Jones fail is particularly concerning since he is a main cog in the running game with DeMarco Murray, and showing up at camp out of shape is not a good sign.
Pool said that he ran the test on Friday without the team and passed, so he was upset that he failed on Sunday, and Holmes said he did a lot of long-distance running in the off season:
"I'm not saying I didn't do any sprint work," Holmes said. "I was doing a lot of long distance running and I'm going to change that and don't want to make the same mistake twice. I won't do that."
Not sure why Holmes really need to do long distance running outside of endurance since there is no time in a football game that a long distance run is required.
Now that all three players have passed the test, they can get back to the practice field and actually take part in training camp.
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