For a second consecutive season, Joey Bosa is missing a portion of the San Diego Chargers’ offseason training program. Last year, his absence had to do with not having signed a rookie contract until late August. This time around, Bosa simply prefers to work with his own guy.
Bosa, who missed the first several weeks of the season last year due to a hamstring injury, has decided to work with an anonymous personal trainer this spring.
“I just found a guy who really knows what he’s talking about and my body changed in ways I could never have imagined last year,” he said Tuesday, per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “Pain in certain parts of my body that I’ve had chronically for years and years was suddenly gone after going through this process and this program. After that and after the year I had last year, I saw no reason why I would ever change what I’m doing.
“I wanted to continue with it.”
If the Chargers had to choose between Bosa doing his own thing or missing the first month of the season again, that would not be a difficult decision. That’s probably why the former Ohio State star says he has received the blessing of defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and defensive line coach Giff Smith.
“They trust me. All the guys on the team, you could ask them if I’m out there sitting on the couch or if I’m working,” Bosa said. “But, it is voluntary. I think when it comes to your body, you have to do what you think is right. It’s nothing against the team. It’s just what I think is right for my body.”
New Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said previously that he would be pleased if all of his players attended voluntary workouts, but he insists he holds no ill will toward Bosa.
“He’s one of the hardest working guys on the football team,” Lynn said. “I’m not worried about his conditioning or anything like that.”
Bosa is not the first star player to skip voluntary workouts this offseason, and he won’t be the last. At the end of the day, there’s nothing teams can do about it. Even if “voluntary” doesn’t mean what it should, players have a right to do their own thing.
