Chinn has continued to play well, but the increased physical burdens are a real thing proven over 100 years of professional football. If he plays long enough (especially if he continues to play linebacker, where the physical demands are greater since he’s running into offensive linemen instead of just backs and receivers), Chinn may look back on his youthful optimism and laugh.

Rhule said the team has tried to take care of players as well as possible, using all the tools available to them in the realm of sports science and athletic training. But it’s still hard to replicate what 16 games of football do to the body for guys who have never played that many. Chinn only played 10 games last year and never more than 11 in a season at Southern Illinois.

The one adjustment Rhule has made is with scheduling. For years,