In this episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, Les and Cici dive deep into what it really takes to make an NFL 53-man roster — from the grind of training camp to the politics behind roster cuts. They discuss how performance, personality, and availability often outweigh raw talent, and share firsthand stories from elite athletes like T-Mac and others who’ve fought their way through the system.

The conversation expands into profiling athletes, tendon efficiency, data tracking, and how different physical and mental traits shape player development from high school to the pros. 

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Episode Timestamps

00:00 – 05:30 • Opening banter & introduction

05:30 – 10:30 • The brutal reality of making a 53-man NFL roster

10:30 – 15:30 • What rookies face between college and the draft

15:30 – 20:30 • Balancing health, opportunity, and the grind

20:30 – 25:00 • Inside T-Mac’s training structure and workload

25:00 – 30:00 • Force profiling, tendon efficiency, and athletic resilience

30:00 – 35:00 • Speed mechanics, reactive strength, and acceleration profiles

35:00 – 40:00 • Eccentric strength, propulsion, and elite-receiver analysis

40:00 – 45:00 • Collaboration between coaches, data, and athlete management

45:00 – 50:00 • Leadership, confidence, and women in sports performance

50:00 – 55:00 • GPS tech, game-speed tracking, and practice data

55:00 – 01:00:00 • Coaching creativity from NFL pros to high school athletes

01:00:00 – 01:04:30 • Work-life balance, family priorities, and future goals