Jahlani Tavai grabbed two jumbo-sized bags of ice from one of four freezers outside the Detroit Lions practice facility Wednesday and dumped them in a large black tub.
For years, NFL players have used ice baths to rejuvenate their bodies after tiring workouts, but Tavai's post-practice soak on Day 1 of training camp Wednesday seemed different.
A year after COVID-19 restrictions forced players to socially distance their rehab in small groups and at least 6 feet apart, Tavai talked gregariously with teammates and staff members as he awaited his plunge.
Fellow linebackers Shaun Dion Hamilton and Tavante Beckett soaked in their own ice baths nearby, and a steady stream of Lions made their way to and from eight oversized buckets congregated in a shaded area just outside the facility's garage.