Over the course of the lengthy and brutal N.F.L. season, gamers’ toes and arms take a beating on almost each snap. Fingers are jammed, toes are stepped on, ankles are twisted, nails are damaged.
We spoke with six N.F.L. gamers all through the 2022 season concerning the accidents they play by and how they cared for his or her arms and toes, important leverage factors wanted for each run, block, catch and kick. Their behind-the-scenes routines have been meant to assist them make it by the season — however didn’t fully thrust back accidents.
Jones’s ankle was so swollen that he couldn’t see the tendons on his foot, however he hadn’t damaged any bones.
“I tried to walk on it as normal as possible,” he mentioned. “I didn’t immediately put it in a boot or restrict it in any way, because I’m trying to get my mind to train my body that, ‘Oh, it’s going to be OK.’”
Top left: Jones’s proper hand in Week 4. Top proper: Jones’s left hand in Week 15. Bottom: Jones’s toes in Week 9. “My ankle is feeling much better, so that’s the good news,” Jones mentioned after the Jaguars beat their A.F.C. South rivals, the Tennessee Titans in mid-December. “The bad news is I kind of got the other one banged up a little bit.”
Lawren Simmons for The New York Times
Jones elevated the vary of movement in his foot to the purpose the place the ache was tolerable. He did stability and weight-bearing workouts like squats and continued his regular routine of loosening the muscle mass on the soles of his toes with a ball.
“My mind-set was, what can I do to be ready to play?,” he mentioned. “If all I have is 80 percent, I want to make sure I can play at a high level of 80 percent.”
Oct. 30 (Week 8)
Jones returned to the sector in Week 5 in a 13-6 loss to the woeful Houston Texans. Steadily, week after week, he turned one of quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s favourite targets even because the crew continued to lose one-score video games in irritating style.
“We did unfortunately lose some games that I know we want back, but we can’t get those back,” Jones mentioned after the Jaguars’ 21-17 loss to the Broncos, when Lawrence threw an interception on the crew’s closing drive. The Jaguars left that sport, held at Wembley Stadium in London, with a 2-6 file.
Dec. 15 (Week 15)
Jones had profession highs of 11 catches and 145 yards in an upset of the Baltimore Ravens in late November. His emergence helped the Jaguars nudge their method into the playoff dialog.
AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
“My ankle is feeling much better, so that’s the good news,” Jones mentioned after the Jaguars beat their A.F.C. South rivals, the Tennessee Titans, in mid-December. “The bad news is I kind of got the other one banged up a little bit.”
Jones mentioned he was harm when he stumbled into a few different gamers on a display play. The damage wasn’t extreme, and he didn’t miss any video games. The subsequent week Jones caught six passes for 109 yards and three touchdowns because the Jaguars shocked the Dallas Cowboys, 40-34.
In all, Jacksonville gained seven of their closing 9 video games to seize the A.F.C. South title for the primary time in 5 seasons.
“It’s been a crazy ride for us, but it’s made such a great story,” Jones mentioned. “To make it this far and be healthy is a blessing.”
Braden Mann
Punter, Jets
3 Seasons N.F.L. Experience
Oct. 11 (Week 6)
Braden Mann punts, shares kickoff duties and is the holder on subject purpose makes an attempt for the Jets. His arms and toes work in live performance, however he’s not fussy about their upkeep.
Mann avoids leather-based cleats, selecting to put on low-cost artificial ones: He desires his foot to be as arduous as potential when it strikes the ball. To that finish, he wears a measurement 9 on his kicking foot regardless that he usually wears a measurement 10½.
“Game day is the hardest on my feet,” Mann mentioned. “They get abused because I pull the laces super tight. I don’t want any air to get between the ball and my foot. No extra room. It won’t hit my foot hard enough. After the game, you can see the indents on my feet from the laces.”
Mann avoids pedicures.
“I like the calluses that I have — inside the heel of my left foot where I push off,” he mentioned.
Mann kicks about 200 balls a week. He says he’s an incessant toe and knuckle popper.
Nov. 17 (Week 11)
Cold, windy climate is just not a punter’s good friend. While the Jets have been off to a 6-3 begin, Mann was spending additional time engaged on his hand-eye-foot coordination.
Top left: Mann’s toes in Week 9. Top proper: Mann’s hand in Week 18. Bottom: The Jets’ late-season struggles on offense had Mann working arduous: He punted 83 instances in the course of the season, tied for fourth-most within the N.F.L.
Ben Solomon for The New York Times
“When your hands are cold, they are not working as well,” Mann mentioned. “And when it’s windy, you hold the ball a little longer before you drop it. I’ve had a few kicks that I have wanted back, so I’m spending more time on mechanics.”
Dec. 15 (Week 15)
Mann avoids leather-based cleats, selecting to put on low-cost artificial ones that preserve his foot when it strikes the ball. He wears a measurement 9 on his kicking foot regardless that he wears a 10½.
AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
The Jets’ late-season struggles on offense had Mann working arduous: He was tied for fourth-busiest punter within the N.F.L., ending with 83 punts.
On Nov. 20, with 5 seconds remaining and the Jets tied with New England, 3-3, the Patriots’ Marcus Jones returned Mann’s punt 84 yards, blowing by him for the game-winning landing. Afterward, the punter lamented leaving the ball low and brief.
“It was on me,” Mann mentioned. “I didn’t give the cover team a chance.”
Tre’ McKitty
Tight End, Los Angeles Chargers
2 Seasons N.F.L. Experience
Sept. 30 (Week 4)
McKitty has downside digits. He suffers from turf toe on each of his large ones, and he has damaged or dislocated each thumbs and each finger on both hand.
“It comes with the business,” he mentioned. “As a tight end, my hands are extremely important to me but at the same time at risk. I do a lot of blocking, and they get caught in pads and bang into helmets. I broke one thumb that way and the other on a catch.”
In the low season, McKitty does power and grip work, however he believes holistic upkeep is the important thing to enduring the trials of the season.
Top left: McKitty’s toes in Week 3. Top proper: McKitty’s arms in Week 11. Bottom: “As a tight end, my hands are extremely important to me but at the same time at risk. I do a lot of blocking and they get caught in pads and bang into helmets,” McKitty mentioned.
Mike Nowak for The New York Times
During the season, he will get a manicure and pedicure at the least as soon as a month and, after every follow and sport, warms his arms in paraffin wax for 10 to fifteen minutes to ease any ache or stiffness. He additionally will get a therapeutic massage each Monday.
“The therapist spends a lot of time on my hands and feet,” he mentioned.
Nov. 17 (Week 11)
In Week 4, in early October, McKitty mentioned he “dinged” his proper wrist in a win over the Browns. But it had no impression on what he referred to as his worst sport of his profession towards the 49ers on Nov. 13.
McKitty is primarily a blocker who isn’t focused by quarterback Justin Herbert. That modified when tight finish Gerald Everett injured his groin within the second quarter. Herbert discovered McKitty with what would have been a 35-yard landing go — if he hadn’t dropped it. He caught simply three of his six targets, and the Chargers misplaced, 22-16.
Ashley Landis/Associated Press
“I felt awful,” he mentioned, “but I have good teammates, and they lifted me up.”
Dec. 14 (Week 15)
The Chargers have been 7-6 and simply exterior the playoff image after Week 14. McKitty had developed blood blisters on his fingers.
“I forgot to cut my fingernails, and they got bent back,” McKitty mentioned.
To battle late-season fatigue, on his off days McKitty joined Chargers linebacker Kenneth Murray at a close by swimming pool the place they did underwater workouts.
“Just as important are the breathing exercises we do,” McKitty mentioned. “The point is to build stamina for a quick recovery.”
“I want to be ready for a playoff run,” he added.
The Chargers gained their subsequent three video games, clinching a playoff spot for the primary time since 2018.
