JACKSONVILLE, Fla -- Jags athletic trainers rely on a lot more than water to make sure the athletes are staying safe under the hot Florida sun.
During conditioning and workouts, some Jags will wear a heart monitor under their jerseys.
The little piece of equipment serves a pretty big purpose. It helps to make sure the players aren't over-exerting themselves.
The trainers also have a stash of thermo-regulatory pills. Those are only used on players that have a history of problems with keeping a low body temperature.
"For some of the players that are really having a problem they can take this pill and it can monitor their body core temperature because, if you look at a medical emergency in a player, it's as if their body core temperature gets too high," said Head Athletic Trainer Mike Ryan.
Ryan says they will only step in and pull a guy off the turf if they have to. But they're also careful not to let them practice in the first place if their weight isn't where it needs to be.
"We weigh them before and after every practice and why is that important? We want to monitor where the player's weight is so if someone's losing two percent or more we are going to intervene."
He says it's actually pretty easy for a guy their size to lose that much sweating in the Florida heat. He's been preparing these guys for that since March. Education will always be his top tool.
"Teaching the players what to eat, what not to eat, what to drink, things to stay away from."
Another key is making sure the Jags are wearing light-colored clothing to train. And he says that's a tip he hopes school and summer teams keep in mind as well when they're out playing in the sun.
