Why do football coaches ‘bro hug’ players? Titans Head Coach Robert Saleh spills the beans on a long-running trend at the NFL Scouting Combine

There’s some research you just can’t get remotely, and Robert Saleh is here at the scouting combine to get it.

Easton Freeze — Tennessee Titans Beat Writer
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The NFL Scouting Combine is often lovingly referred to as the Underwear Olympics. That’s because we get all of these armored warriors of the gridiron in one place for a week, and we ask them to run around in spandex to get their raw athletic testing numbers. It’s a bit silly looking on it’s face, but everything has a purpose.

This week is all about finding out the things you can’t figure out remotely. Players’ medicals are a critical element of this event. Their formal meetings with prospective teams are critical too. These coaches and executive just want to get their hands on these guys, and try to get a peek inside their heads as well. Mental makeup, football IQ, and character are things you hear a lot about in Indianapolis in February.

New Titans head coach Robert Saleh shared his new experience with the Combine this year, and the importance of this week to him and this Titans team looking for new building blocks.

Robert Saleh explains what matters most to him at the NFL Combine

In a private session with local media, Saleh explained that he never came to the Combine as a head coach during his first stint in the captain’s chair.

“In my first go-around with the Jets, I never came” he said. “This is actually the first time I’ve been to the Combine since 2019, I think.”

“But there’s tremendous value in it,” Saleh continued. “Like anytime you get face time, and it’s one thing that I think, just talking to (GM Mike Borgonzi), it’s something that we wanted to work on, to get more face time with these young men.”

Clearly Mike Borgonzi thinks it’s important for his whole crew to be here in-person for certain portions of this process if possible, and he seems to have convinced Saleh of his philosophy on it. “Whether it’s 15 to 20 minutes, it doesn’t matter” Saleh continued. “every minute is crucial when you’re trying to evaluate these guys. So I’d be lying to you if I said that I had an answer for you. This is new for me in my seat.”

Meetings with prospects began on Monday, as the rolling schedule of each position group started with defensive lineman and linebackers. The Titans have a massive need at EDGE in particular, and are starting with some key formal interviews with prospective pass rushers. Saleh was jacked up about how they were going.

“Yesterday’s meetings were were freaking awesome,” coach explained. “You know, just being able to have that face time, have eye contact, being able to do the old man-to-man, bro hug, just to get a feel, you know, for the… for the individual’s body. cut that one out if you want. You guys get my point. But there’s tremendous value in all of it.”

Getting a feel for players’ bodies got a laugh in the room, because it’s funny but true. Football is about being bigger, faster and stronger than your opponents. It’s an extremely physical sport that showcases excellence in human physiology. These ball coaches need to get a feel for just how big, how dense, and how rocked-up these guys’ builds are. Former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel used to put on blocking pads to get into drills with guys in order to get a first-hand feel for the punch they were packing. New coach Robert Saleh seems to be heavily invested in this research as well.

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