One of the things that make the NFL so exciting is that the games are so few. Even with the expansion to a 17-game season, that's still a fraction of the NBA / NHL (82 games) and not even close to the MLB (162). That scarcity is what makes every game important, according to most sports betting and online casino news experts.
Of course, the NFL is still four months long, and counting training camp to the Super Bowl can be as long as July through February. Pro football players don't have the travel schedule that they do in other sports, but the season is still a grind so do these high-level athletes have time for hobbies during the season?
Other Sports Have Down Time on Road Trips
It's not uncommon for an NBA, NHL, or MLB team to go on a 10-14+ day road trip through 3-4 cities multiple times during a season. There are often multiple nights on that road trip where there won't be a game schedule, so finding a hobby is incredibly important for players' sanity during downtime.
Since an NBA or NHL road trip can take place during the Winter in cold weather cities, a hobby such as fishing or going to the beach isn't really an option. This is why you'll see basketball and hockey players often either having indoor hobbies like playing video games and watching movies - or some not-so-relaxing activities like tearing up the local nightlife into the wee hours of the morning.
Professional baseball players are probably the most famous for their hobbies, specifically golfing. This is because a) they play during warm temperatures, b) the season is incredibly long, and c) pitchers only play every 5-6 days.
For many NBA, NHL, and MLB players, hobbies when back at home are just getting caught back up with family, friends, and business obligations, as they do miss out a lot when being on the road.
NFL Players Take Business Trips
NFL players don't need hobbies to kill time on the road because their away games are mostly business trips. An NFL team will fly out on Friday or even Saturday for a Sunday noon game, and be back home in their own beds by Sunday night.
Players will often have their nice meal for the week Saturday night, especially in big high-end restaurant destinations like Chicago, New York, or even Kansas City. It's really not wise to visit the nightlife on the road, but of course, many players still do.
The NFL Season Is All About the Next Game
Just look at Bill Belichick's approach to the NFL season. 15 minutes after a week 7 game ends, he's already "on to week 8," and that's how most pro football teams are, which doesn't leave a lot of time for hobbies.
Really NFL teams only have one day off, usually on Tuesday, following a light film/weights day on Monday. The biggest goal early in the week for an NFL player during the season is recovery - getting treatment for injuries and just resting for the following week's game which is already just a couple of days away.
Movies would be the best hobby for an NFL player during the regular season because it allows them to ice/heat injuries, rest, and kind of mentally detach from football for a bit.
The rest of the week for NFL players after Tuesday's rest day involves the first official day of Game Week, Wednesday. The core game plan and 1st / 2nd downs are installed on Wednesday, with 3rd downs and sub-packages coming on Thursday. Fridays are for the goal line, red zone, and two-minute packages with walk-through and travel on Saturday.
There is a lot of studying of film and game plans during an NFL week as well as media obligations for many players. Hobbies would be a great way to recharge, but there's just simply no time.
