If at first you don’t succeed, try again. That’s exactly what Baltimore Ravens top draft pick, linebacker Courtney Upshaw did when he passed the conditioning test on his second try.
Today the news broke that Upshaw was placed on the non-football injury list without any reason, though it was speculated that he did not pass the conditioning test.
Upshaw later confirmed the speculation and Tweeted that he passed the conditioning test:
Players can be added to the non-football injury list and removed from it at any time. Upshaw passed the test on his second try and was limited in practice today.
It is not unheard of for rookies to fail the test on their first attempt. They can be too pumped up and burn out quickly. The conditioning test is 25 yards. It requires players to run up and back six times under :28-35 seconds depending on the position. They rest for :45, then repeat 6 times.
There was a brief moment of panic since Upshaw is one of the players who will compete for the spot left vacant by Terrell Suggs. Suggs will miss most if not all of the season due to an Achilles tendon injury.
I was worried when I first heard the story, but was relieved when Upshaw passed the test on the second try. It’s not an easy test, something I couldn’t do. Now that the excitement is over, he can focus on training camp.
Zennie Abraham