Kliff Kingsbury to Allow Cardinals 'Cellphone Breaks' Every 20 Minutes During Team Meetings
Kingsbury said Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings that he’ll implement “cellphone breaks” during team meetings. He did something similar while coach at Texas Tech but will adapt it for NFL players.
Kingsbury will let the players break for their phones every 20 or 30 minutes — what he called a “good run” — right around the time he usually starts seeing players lose interest.
“You start to see kind of hands twitching and legs shaking, and you know they need to get that social media fix, so we’ll let them hop over there and then get back in the meeting and refocus,” Kingsbury said.
Before you all talk about how millennials are an embarrassing breed that are addicted to technology, remember that you are probably reading this on your phone….while you are at work. This is nothing more than the modern day smoke break! Our grandfathers couldn’t go 20 minutes without ripping a heater, and we can’t go 20 minutes without checking Twitter. It’s still an addiction, just a whole lot healthier!
We’ve all been in long, drawn out meetings. They absolutely suck. And I oftentimes find myself trying to sneak a peek at my cell phone for no other reason than I haven’t done it in the last couple minutes. So instead, Kingsbury is letting his players know there is light at the end of the tunnel. They need to lock in for about 20 minutes and give him their undivided attention, and then he’ll give them the carrot at the end and let them check their Instagram. Say what you want about the tactic, but there is no denying that Kingsbury gets the clientele he is working with.
“I think coming from the college ranks to obviously, those young men, it’s got to be quick hitters, 20 minutes at a time, give them a break and get them back in,” he said. “We want to make sure that when we have them, they’re focused, and they’re locked in, and we’re maximizing their time.”
Oh how the times have changed in Arizona. Just two years ago they were dealing with Bruce Arians, the Football Guy of Football Guys. Toughness. Grit. An old school paint drinker. Now they’re dealing with Kliff Kingsbury, who is giving them time to Snap Chat in between already shortened meetings. Arians probably thinks the sidelines interviews are a hassle. Kingsbury thinks they’re an opportunity to pick up chicks.
Different strokes for different folks, I guess. But I guarantee the players love playing for this guy. He gets them, because he is one of them. I heard Joe Horn is even thinking about coming out of retirement to play for the Cardinals.