It’s become quite common nowadays to hear about a quarterback and his receivers working out together in the offseason. But how many QBs would really elect to bear the entire costs associated with these sorts of workouts all by themselves? After all, every single player on an NFL team is paid more than a comfortable salary.
Add Tyrod Taylor to this seemingly-small list of field generals. The third-year starter paid for some his receivers to join him in Atlanta, where he owns a home, to work out on multiple occasions during the gap between the end of minicamp and the start of training camp.
"I would have to go back and calculate it," Taylor said in regards to how much the workout sessions cost him, via Matthew Fairburn of NYup.com. "I really didn't necessarily worry about that. I just wanted it to be comfortable for everyone down there. I couldn't ask everyone to come down there and have them pay. I didn't mind doing that because it was my idea to bring everyone down.”
The Bills that worked out with Taylor in Atlanta included: tight ends Charles Clay, Nick O'Leary and Logan Thomas; backs Patrick DiMarco and LeSean McCoy; and wide receivers Andre Holmes, Walter Powell, Dez Lewis, Zay Jones and Sammy Watkins. Taylor organized the workouts and paid for hotel accommodations as well as leisure activities for all of his teammates.
The soon-to-be 28-year-old Taylor demonstrated his commitment to the Bills by choosing to restructure the wealthy contract given to him by the team about a year ago in favor of his current one. And while he’ll still have to prove his worth on the field this upcoming season to the front office, fostering bonds and establishing trust with his teammates during the offseason, like Taylor did recently in Atlanta, is an important first step en route to a successful season.