Are ther any NFL guys that could go sub 10 in the 2 mile?

2) Clearly, you have never set foot on a field with an NBA or NFL player. The worst DB in the NFL would destroy every single person who has ever posted on this board in a competition that measured overall athletic ability.

Well that would depend how you measured it.

Nobody in the NFL goes under 10 without some specific training.

With specific training, of course there would be.

john belushi wrote:

2) Clearly, you have never set foot on a field with an NBA or NFL player. The worst DB in the NFL would destroy every single person who has ever posted on this board in a competition that measured overall athletic ability.

I agree with this, and here's why:

Exhibit A:

A buddy of mine, who is an excellent runner and a really good athlete in general, went to an adult baseball fantasy camp. It was one of those deals that have ex-players from a particular team (the Dodgers in this case) coach and play with the campers. He was blown away by the athleticism of the ex-players. Told me that at every sport they played while at the camp, from table tennis to basketball, the worse ex-player at that sport was much better than the best camper. In other words, the baseball players were just far superior athletes than the campers, which might explain why they were ex-professional athletes and the campers were campers.

Exhibit B:

I was a decent high school basketball player (started on a league championship team) and spent pretty much all my free off-season time playing ball down at the local park which had some serious BB action. At the time the then LA Raiders had their practice facilities nearby and every once in awhile some guys from the Raiders would show up to play. And let me tell you, the game got turned up about three notches, those guys were way faster, more powerful, more coordinated and way more aggressive than the rest of us. Ever have a 6'2'' 230 pound guy driving straight at you only to have him dribble around his back and blow by you like you were glued to the floor? And they sure didn't get any more tired than the rest of us.

So I don't know how many, if any, of the players in the NFL could break 10 minutes today, but give them six months and a few million bucks for doing it and bunches of them would.

Blaze wrote:

I didn't read this whole thread, so sorry if someone already said this...but Devin Hester could in my opinion. I dont even think he needs to train for it, it would be close, I'd give him a 9:55 without training

Based on what? His ability to run a blazing 40-90 yards? The requirements of a two mile are totally different. It's very possible to run as fast as Hester over short distances and not be able to crack 12 minutes over 2 miles.

Limiting to non-kickers, I'd take all the white possession receivers (Welker, Curtis, etc) first. At least one of those guys could run under 10 with some training. I have to guess that the people who are thinking the speed guys could do it have never been on a track team with decent sprinters. Those guys look really bad really fast if you make them run more than 1 lap.

Now, NBA players play their way into aerobic shape. What do you think a typical starting NBA point guard could run for 2 mi?

As usual I am blown away by the lack of knowledge on this board. A few things to note.

1. A 2 mile and repeated 100 meter sprints are completely different. Even if an NFL player ran a great 800 at some time in their career it is not relevant. If they ran a great mile it is a little relevant, but a 2 mile is twice as long and they have already stretched their sprint form as far as they can. They have maxed out their anaerobic system and are now trying to utilize there almost non-existant aerobic system.

2. Take a basic anatomy class people. Fast twitch fibers overload every NFL players body. These are what make them fast over short distances. They have very little slow twitch fibers, which are needed to run an endurance event. You can't change your genetic disposition for muscle fibers. No matter how much they train they will not create more slow twitch fibers. They can somewhat develop what they have, but not enough to go from a 10 second 100 meter guy to a 10:00 minute 2 mile guy. It is impossible to have a huge amount of fast twitch fibers and huge amount of slow twitch. You either have a huge amount of one or the other. You may have an average amount of both, but then most likely you are not in the NFL.

3. Football at the NFL level is very specific. You must be explosive and quick. When you train to be explosive and quick, your slow twitch fibers and cardio suffer as a result. Not to mention the added muscle mass you get from your fast twitch fibers weighing you down.

4. A lot of you try to correlate running a fast 100,200,400, 800 with being fast over 2 miles. It does not happen that way. If you know anything about physiology you know that different muscle systems are in place to cover different types of physical activities. ATP is for very short bursts, anaerobic covers up to 800-1200 meters, and then you have the aerobic system for anything longer. If you have a great ATP system, which all NFL players do then your aerobic is not great. This relates back to the muscle fibers. Your argument is like saying I can take one step in .5 seconds. My one step is 3 meters so I should be able to cover 3200 meters in 8 min 53 seconds. You can't just assume that I will keep the same pace over the whole distance. It makes abosolutely no sense to completely ignore the principles of endurance, muscle systems, and muscle fibers. Killa Mike is dead wrong in his assumption that a natural talent 10:00 2 miler will not lose his ability to run 10:00 after he has trained specifically for football. Actually he is dead wrong on pretty much everything he has stated.

5. No, there is not an NFL player that could run 10:00 without doing some specific endurance training. Not a single one. If you believe there is then you are completely ignorant in regards to anatomy and physiology.

Yes, there may be a very minute number of players who could specifically train for it, but it would have to be before they overdeveloped their fast twitch fibers or after they let them return to their normal proportion. These would have to be guys who had at least an average number of slow twitch fibers genetically, which means they would not be super fast or explosive at any time. Just semi fast. That is why kickers would be the most likely group. Everyone else has to be explosive and fast, while the kicker just has to have an explosive leg. DB and Wide recievers are just as unlikely as any other position because they have to be fast to run their routes. A posession reciever might be a good option, maybe.

There have been some exceptions mentioned, but they are very few and all meet the above description.

"Football players are not elite athletes. They are elite football players who play a game very well. They lift well, are conditioned well, but are not amazing athletes. Elite implies that they are elite in several athletic domains. Football is a joke and people give the players more credit than they deserve."

Wrong. Football players are indeed elite athletes. Have you ever met an NFL player? They are physical specimens, genetic freaks. I don't mean to sound like a jock-sniffer but the fact is that NFL players and most pro athletes in general are stronger, can run faster, jump higher, throw further, etc. than 99.9% of the population. I saw Tyrone Wheatley at the Penn Relays and his girth took up the whole lane. Then he proceeded to win his heat in the 110 high hurdles smoking guys half of his size. I was awe struck at how a man that size could be so agile and fast. (To put it in perspective he wasn't even considered an elite NFL running back.)

simple answer wrote:

(To put it in perspective he wasn't even considered an elite NFL running back.)

This does not put anything into perspective. All it says is how good Tyrone Wheatley is at the hurdles. It in no way means that better running backs will make better hurdlers than Wheatley. People keep trying to equate athleticism across the board here. It does not work that way.

simple answer wrote:

most pro athletes in general are stronger, can run faster, jump higher, throw further, etc. than 99.9% of the population.

What you don't seem to understand is that NONE OF THOSE THINGS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH RUNNING A TWO MILE, with the SLIGHT exception of running faster (sprinting), but even that is almost irrelevant when we are talking about 10:00. If you have average speed, you can break 10:00.

"This does not put anything into perspective. All it says is how good Tyrone Wheatley is at the hurdles. It in no way means that better running backs will make better hurdlers than Wheatley. People keep trying to equate athleticism across the board here. It does not work that way."

Let me explain further. To be a RB in the NFL requires extraordinary athleticism particularly strength, speed, and agility. A RB has to be quick and explosive enough to explode through an opening created by his offensive line and fast enough to run away from the linebackers and secondary (most of whom were NCAA sprinters themselves). Now if a guy like Wheatley who played football from June through January in college can run the HH that well it speaks to his natural ability as an athlete more than it does to his preparation as a hurdler. My point is that there are other NFL RB's who possess the same if not better physical gifts than Tryrone Wheatley.

the truth1 wrote:

5. No, there is not an NFL player that could run 10:00 without doing some specific endurance training. Not a single one. If you believe there is then you are completely ignorant in regards to anatomy and physiology.

I pretty much agree with you, except on this point. You really think Nick Setta, who is 26 years old, could not break 10:00 right now (this a guy who was 5th in Illinois XC and ran 1:53, 3:59 in HS, so 4:17ish for 1600m). Even if he doesn't train, he could still probably break 10:00 based on his football conditioning. There may be another kicker/punter or two. Considering he also played football in HS, imagine how much better he could have done in XC if he had devoted himself fully to it.

Runningart2004 wrote:

Any of the skill position players could break 10:00 if they trained for it. I'd say with a year's training.

Right now? No. They aren't doing a serious endurance training at all.

Alan

you guys really give yourselves too much credit. a 10min two mile is relatively easy for a good athlete. there are most likely a large number of nfl players who could hit that mark with little or no specific training.

don't rank this feat so highly simply because it was difficult for you. Everyone has different levels of talent, and while it may be a great achievement for some...for many people, running 5min/mile for just two miles is exceedingly easy. I am by no means even close to being an elite runner, and it's even easy for a bum like me.

i know that the nfl players are mostly short burst/fast twitch guys, but a 10min is well within reason for some of these genetic freaks. if you threw in a big signing bonus or reward for getting to the 10min mark, you'd have a good portion of the running backs, receivers, safeties, and corners in the league getting there very quickly.

kartelite wrote:

the truth1 wrote:

5. No, there is not an NFL player that could run 10:00 without doing some specific endurance training. Not a single one. If you believe there is then you are completely ignorant in regards to anatomy and physiology.

I pretty much agree with you, except on this point. You really think Nick Setta, who is 26 years old, could not break 10:00 right now (this a guy who was 5th in Illinois XC and ran 1:53, 3:59 in HS, so 4:17ish for 1600m). Even if he doesn't train, he could still probably break 10:00 based on his football conditioning. There may be another kicker/punter or two. Considering he also played football in HS, imagine how much better he could have done in XC if he had devoted himself fully to it.

I was a 4:20 miler in HS off only small amounts of training (30-35mpw 6 months a year). When I was not training I was probably good for a 10:20 at best. And I was a naturally built distance runner (5'7 105 lbs).

I think if I had trouble to break 10:00 when not specifically conditioned for it, given that I had the huge advantage of being ultra-lightweight, most - if not all - NFL guys, regardless of their prior running background, would also have a hard time with it.

Explosive acceleration: this is indeed one thing that all good RBs and sprinters have in common.

Not true. Are you saying that every NFL RB is faster than all NFL DBs? I doubt it. If a RB breaks out into open field and gets run down, it's still a huge run despite the fact that the DB was faster. You do not need the top-end speed of Tyson Gay to be a good RB, and being as fast as Tyson Gay will not automatically make you a good RB.

Natural ability and physical gifts for what? You have to be specific. The physical gifts that make certain RBs better than Wheatley could very well make them worse at the hurdles. Again, you're sweeping broad strokes with a narrow definition of athleticism; you're using NFL running backs as the definition of athleticism, which is biased. Everyone keeps touting the god-like talents of NFL players as if they could do any sport better than any other athlete. That's ridiculous. Yes, many of Wheatley's NFL opponents were also good sprinters in college, but most of them were better at football to begin with. And, the fact that there are a few who were outstanding at both does not mean any NFL player can step on the track and school everyone in the USATF.

ohmanohman wrote:

you guys really give yourselves too much credit. a 10min two mile is relatively easy for a good endurance athlete. there are most likely a large number of nfl players who could hit that mark with little or no specific training.

Corrected, provided you can somehow find a good endurance athlete who happens to be playing in the NFL. Good luck with that.

GOOD GOD, IT is only TWO MILES!!

When did that become some extreme distance!

I am 46, and I just started running again after five years of injuries and I ran a 12 minute two mile with my cross country team just to see if I could do it without any speed work. If a broken down old fart can run successive 6 minute miles than most 23 year old NFL db's, receivers and running backs could. Could they hold it for a 5k, probably not. But man, it is only two miles and these men are elite athletes.

Two miles, please, you can talk all you want about fast twitch, slow twitch this twitch and that twitch, but my goodness, it's not like an 8 minute two mile. jeesh

Im really curious what you think the single fastest time would be in the inaugural "FOX NFL Superstar Bad-AZZ 2 -Mile Showdown and Celebrity Relay on FOX! presented by Chipotle"

100,000$ to the winner's charity.

If 10 minutes would be so easy , What would the fastest time be?

grif wrote:

GOOD GOD, IT is only TWO MILES!!

When did that become some extreme distance!

I am 46, and I just started running again after five years of injuries and I ran a 12 minute two mile with my cross country team just to see if I could do it without any speed work. If a broken down old fart can run successive 6 minute miles than most 23 year old NFL db's, receivers and running backs could. Could they hold it for a 5k, probably not. But man, it is only two miles and these men are elite athletes.

Two miles, please, you can talk all you want about fast twitch, slow twitch this twitch and that twitch, but my goodness, it's not like an 8 minute two mile. jeesh

And a mile is only a mile but it sure is hard for a decathlete to break 5:00 despite being better trained for endurance races than any NFL guy.

This argument has run its course. You have realists on one hand and NFL fan-boys on the other and that's the way it will probably stay.

pjb wrote:

Corrected, provided you can somehow find a good endurance athlete who happens to be playing in the NFL. Good luck with that.

no, two miles does not require a large amount of endurance. it's 10 minutes. 10 minutes may not be as easy for a talented running back as it is for a good athlete with a runner's build, but it's entirely doable. we are not talking about a high caliber time here. i could get off my ass right this second, put on some running shoes (trainers nonetheless!), and run under that time without even being in great shape, as i'm sure a good number of others here could. remember that we're not talking about the average letsrunner. these guys in the nfl are machines. just go stand next to one once and you'll get an idea.

of course, i realize i have no proof, so i'm just saying.

Kartelite I suppose Setta would be a long shot. In a profile I read he is listed at 5'11" and weighs 204lbs, which is pretty heavy. Obviously there have been some pretty decent runners over 200lbs that were capable of completing 2 miles in 10 minutes, but not many and they were training pretty hard if they did it. He would have to drop some weight, especially at that height.

OhmanOhman you are absolutely clueless. Go back and read my last post. You are completely ignoring every basic principle of anatomy and physiology. I can't tell if you are trolling or if you are just that clueless. Maybe you are 13 or something. I don't know.

You are comparing apple and oranges. Distance running and Football are at complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Being a genetic freak for football, as in huge, muscular, explosive, make them less likely to be able to be genetic freaks for running distance.

Pretty soon you are going to be telling me that sumo wrestlers, also genetic freaks, should be able to run a 10:00 minute two mile.