NFL training camps mark the beginning of each season. Teams reconvene after months off, bolstered by draft picks and trades. They spend weeks conditioning and practicing. Players learn to communicate and work together as a cohesive unit. Coaches evaluate talent to set the roster.
Under Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots did something different. They stripped names and numbers off jerseys during early camp sessions. No identifiers. Just plain uniforms running drills.
This leveled the playing field.
The moment something is named, it becomes anchored. Reputation and expectation follow. That's the senior guy. The first-round pick. The Alabama product. The one who fumbled in the playoffs.
Our brains crave shortcuts—easy ways to categorize and pattern match. But these shortcuts blind us to current reality. We focus on pedigree instead of performance.
Blank jerseys forced raw evaluation. Every player existed only as today's effort. Not college stats. Not contract value. Not fan expectations. You may have finished last season at the Pro Bowl, but today, you're just another guy in a uniform.
It wasn’t just about the coaches’ evaluation. This approach was also targeted at on-field communication. Offensive and defensive units coalesced around performance, rather than pedigree. The best players revealed themselves.
When names and numbers returned later in camp, the right players were in the right positions. Many were unknowns who emerged as stars—and went on to build the most dominant dynasty in NFL history.
