Study Shows Benefits Of Skin-To-Skin Contact Between New Players, Coaches

CAMBRIDGE, MA—Describing the practice as “vital to player development,” researchers at Harvard University published a study Monday that shows immediate skin-to-skin contact between NFL coaches and newly drafted players significantly improves adaptation to the professional level and long-term performance on the field. “The first few hours after getting drafted are crucial—when a coach removes his shirt and cradles a first-year player against his hairy chest, it forges neural bonds, optimizes cortisol levels for big-game situations, and lays the foundation for elite football instincts,” said the study’s author, Dr. Lydia Zhou, who noted that Tom Brady’s transformation from sixth-round pick to all-time great began on draft night when Bill Belichick held the quarterback against his warm chest under his hoodie and gently rocked him while humming “You Are My Sunshine.” “Conversely, first-overall pick Bryce Young went his entire rookie season without once being snuggled against Frank Reich’s bare chest, and that lack of tactile reassurance likely contributed to his difficulties reading defenses and bonding with the offensive line, ultimately leading to a 2-15 record for the team.” Zhou then emphasized that while skin-to-skin contact was ideal, rookies could still reap partial neurological benefits from being swaddled in weighted blankets scented with their coach’s musk.

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