What They're Saying: Lions Enjoy Date Night, Playing Guitar During Time Off

Detroit Lions reveal how they spent their time during a day off.

The Detroit Lions roster recently enjoyed a players day off earlier this week at training camp. 

All Lions had the opportunity to catch up with several players following practice on Day 9 of training camp. 

Here is a sample of what players reported they did on their day off and the importance of time away during an NFL training camp. 

Starling Thomas V 

"Just sit back and just call home -- just to talk to my family. Man, you know, just watch film and get ready for today."

Thomas noted the day off was important, "Just to get your legs back up under you or regroup mentally and just have a little time for yourself."

Denzel Mims 

"Shoot, I came in here early and got some breakfast, a big breakfast and then a nice massage. I just recovered my body for a couple hours, and I was really tired, so I slept for most of the day. I ain’t really done nothing in Detroit yet," said Mims. "I’m gonna wait a little bit until I get more comfortable out here with the team, because I want to focus more on the team right now. So, I’m gonna wait until I get more comfortable with the team and then I’ll go out and explore Detroit.”

Teammates have told Detroit's newest wideout, “Shoot, man, they just said go out and explore the City. That’s that. Go out and explore the City, you’re gonna have a good time if you go out and explore the City.”

Josh Paschal

"Yesterday, my family came to town. It’s my mother’s birthday (Wednesday). I went out to eat with them around 5:30 p.m. I got a massage at 2 p.m. I just got some body work done and rested up.”

For Paschal the day off is important to be able to grind for the next few days after. 

“You need that day off to rest your body, rest your mind. To be able to come back the next four days, to get after it. Even with these rest days coming up, we’ll have time to go out to eat as a defensive line and stuff like that. So, it’s a lot of good things that come with it.”

Brodric Martin

“I just spent time with my girl. That’s about it. Watched a couple movies together, we cooked last night. That's all I did. I try to get away from it completely for a day. We’re at it every day, so I just try to focus on family on the days I can.”

For Martin, the day off is important, since, “It’s really important to me because I do this for my family. Do this for my girl, my momma and my sister. I do it for all them, so when I get that day off, I’m gonna dedicate it to them and get back into this on the next day.”

Colby Sorsdal

"I really just hung out man. So, I got my guitar back at the hotel and I was just playing a little bit. But really, hit the contrast tubs here -- hot, cold, hot, cold. Got the body right and then just kinda napped and played guitar all day, not too much. I play some Nirvana sometimes, if I'm feeling it. Some Bluegrass. I love Tyler Childers and Colter Wall, the older kind of western country types. I play whatever, Pearl Jam."

For Sorsdal, music is the escape, as the sheer amount of information players are required to process can stack up, day after day. 

"Yeah, it's kind of my escape, I guess, if you look at it. Some people like to read, some people play video games. I'm more of a music guy. It's crucial, especially this time of year during camp when everything's coming in all at once. Everything's compiling, compiling and compiling and the days are getting longer and longer and longer. You've got to take some time for yourself. It's definitely crucial."

Malcolm Rodriguez

"Relaxed, got a massage, got my recovery in and that was it. Hydrated."

For the second-year linebacker, a day off is critical, even it is just to catch up on sleep. 

"It's super important. Get to sleep in, you lose all this sleep. Relax your body, let the mind mentally kind of refresh. Spend time with the fiancees and everyone does with their families. Being around them just kind of balances it out. Movies. Had date night, so stuff like that. Just get out of the house, enjoy each other's company."