‘It’s A Real Brotherhood’: At Pass Rush Retreat, Top D-Linemen Put Egos Aside

'It's A Real Brotherhood': At Pass Rush Retreat, Top D-Linemen Put Egos Aside

National Football League: ‘It’s A Real Brotherhood’ at Pass Rush Retreat

Updated Jul. 21, 2025, 1:22 p.m. ET

Tempe, Ariz. – Walking from my rideshare through the parking lot to the side entrance of the Verde Dickey Dome at Arizona State is a challenge. The temperature hits 115 degrees. Finally, I push through the pressurized revolving doors to enter an inflatable indoor practice facility the size of a football field, featuring bright green turf and stark white yard markers. A gold pitchfork shines on the field, marking this as Sun Devil territory. However, the players scattered across the field are far from college students.

As I glance from left to right, I notice trainers from the Sports Academy dressed in black workout gear, manual therapists with tables arranged in a row, players adorned in various team-issued apparel, and B.T. Jordan, who is mingling and greeting attendees like old friends.

Jordan’s Annual Pass Rush Retreat

Jordan’s sixth annual Pass Rush Retreat, hosted at ASU, has become a must-attend event for many top defensive linemen in the league. They are willing to brave the Valley of the Sun’s intense summer heat just to be a part of this event. This retreat has expanded since its inaugural year in 2019, which was originally attended by a small group of nose tackles—the players in the heart of the defensive line—coming together to discuss the intricacies of their position that few understood.

“But then Rashan Gary and a couple of other defensive ends showed up,” Jordan chuckled https //taya365.

Jordan, now a pass rush consultant for multiple NFL teams such as the Seattle Seahawks and, more recently, the Denver Broncos, has amassed quite a reputation.

A Real Brotherhood

The Broncos boasted the highest sack rate in the NFL in 2024, along with a league-leading -105.2 passing EPA. They also had the best quarterback pressure rate using just a four-man rush last season www taya365.com. Yes, those Denver Broncos!

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With a proven track record, Jordan attracts players like Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark from the Green Bay Packers, Jonathan Greenard from the Minnesota Vikings, and L. yg777 app loginJ. Collier from the Arizona Cardinals to the Pass Rush Retreat, which also welcomed first-round rookies Mason Graham from the Cleveland Browns and Walter Nolen from the Cardinals this year. It explains why attendance has surged from 15 nose tackles to over 60 defensive linemen willing to sacrifice their valuable vacation time to improve themselves.

These events aren’t exclusive to defensive linemen. Other notable gatherings like O-Line Masterminds, hosted by Duke Manyweather in Dallas, are also ongoing for their eighth year, while Tight End University, organized by Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Greg Olsen, just wrapped up its fifth annual event. Yet, the Pass Rush Retreat remains low-key, with a focus on hard work.

Packers Pro Bowler Rashan Gary, one of the first edge rushers to attend, made his voice heard at this year’s retreat.

Hard Work and Camaraderie

Jordan and I huddled in a corner over various pads used in drills. After the first part of the day—where Jordan and his team led players in individual pass rush drills—there were scattered groups working simultaneously. Some were tethered to workout partners with bands, while others honed their individual pass rush moves with standup drill dummies, expertly maneuvering through every repetition.

It’s easy to get caught up in the various team logos around and remember that, on the field, these players are competitors. In positions like defensive end or outside linebacker, which often carry the burden of reaching the quarterback, the stakes are higher. Individual achievement directly contributes to team success, which is something that often feeds their egos, despite claims of humility.

But on a deeper level, lining up on the defensive line is a shared journey. It’s a fraternity—something that each of these elite players uniquely understands. Their objective is to be the best versions of themselves, as well as to elevate one another and enhance the game.

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“It’s a real brotherhood,” Jordan shared. “They want to see each other grow, earn their paychecks, and dominate. That’s what it’s all about—pushing each other, sharing knowledge, and improving the position log in spinph.”

Honest Film Sessions

The event also included elements beyond just on-field drills. Players engaged in conditioning work at Arizona State’s football weight room. Snacks were laid out on a back counter, resembling something from a youth summer camp more than a gathering for professional athletes. However, if you’re familiar with an NFL facility, you’ll know that these athletes are no strangers to something as simple as an Uncrustable or squeezable applesauce.

One level above the weight room in ASU’s football complex was the team meeting room, where players gathered around 2 p.m. after beginning their day at 9 a.m. They settled in, almost on autopilot from countless meetings throughout the season, to watch game film. jilibet.ph.com

There I was, in the back row, dead center, a literal fly on the wall, surrounded by the NFL’s elite, conversing in a language I only partially understood.

Jonathan Greenard was the first to speak as a game against the San Francisco 49ers flashed onto the massive screen. Without waiting for Jordan’s cue, Greenard narrated his thought process through each play, even sharing self-critiques more often than boasting about his accomplishments. Others chimed in with questions, comments, and advice, creating an atmosphere of collaboration.

This pattern continued with players like the Broncos’ Jonathan Franklin-Myers and the Browns’ Maliek Collins, who oscillated between offering sage advice and humbly explaining their mistakes. Whenever a particularly impressive play occurred, the room erupted in applause and cheers.

“Ok, JG!” “God damn!” “I see you, ‘Liek!”

It was as if the egos that usually dominate the field had vanished.

“Having an event like this where you have other Pro Bowlers and experienced players alongside younger guys and first-round picks is invaluable,” Rashan Gary remarked. “It’s a chance to learn and grow together, building camaraderie. Some of us will face each other on the field this season, so we enjoy a bit of fun banter, but seeing each other perform is where the payoff happens.”

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The Art of Pass Rushing

The craft of pass rushing is a comprehensive skill set that goes beyond mere mechanics, talent, intelligence, or physics; it requires the harmonious integration of all these elements performed with precision within fractions of a second.

“Pass rushing is truly an art,” Jordan explained. “I’ve realized that it involves breaking down weaknesses and turning them into strengths, or amplifying existing strengths. This is my focus as a consultant, unlike coaches who often lack time to concentrate on specific details for one player due to their commitments to general schemes. If you can master pass rushing, you’ll secure a lucrative position in the NFL.”

But let’s be honest; these athletes aren’t solely motivated by altruism. Events like the Pass Rush Retreat are win-win situations for players looking to improve their skills and subsequently their paychecks. While they appear to compete with one another—even bantering on the practice field in the sweltering summer—at the end of the day, they’re more than just competitors.

They are brothers.

“I love the camaraderie that comes with it,” Gary stated, one of the most vocal participants at the event. “At the end of the day, it improves us all. If I’m talking at a high level, everything I do must match that standard. If not, all eyes are on me, and I want that pressure because, as I tell them, I won’t ask you to do anything I won’t do myself. That’s the standard I set for my teammates to follow.”

So, as we look ahead, can the rest of the league, especially the offensive linemen, truly handle the intensity that this brotherhood brings to the field?