NFL teams have been unable to train at team facilities recently, but it hasn’t held Eddy Pineiro back as he continues to hone his kicking skills. With the Bears facilities off-limits, Pineiro has instead been taking to Moore Park, Miami, up to three times a week, to kick with Pat O’Donnell.
In many ways, the conditions at Moore Park in Miami in many ways replicate what Pineiro is used to experiencing on the pitch at Soldier Field. The odds of the baseball star’s efforts coming to fruition in the NFL are excellent, with Pineiro describing where he trains as “super open” and that “it’s probably the most-windiest park.” The wind is uncompromising and unpredictable, and often misleading, which will challenge Pineiro in the right way. Hopefully improving his game, and anyone reviewing the odds on any football game in which he is involved would be advised to take note.
It’s also been important for Pineiro to be alongside Pat O’Donnell, with the pair living an hour away from each other. During the offseason, the duo have been working together. It’s great for working on areas of their game, as well as keeping their spirits up as well. The pair felt from the start that their aim should be to replicate work they would otherwise be doing in a training session at Lake Forest with the Bears, which makes sense.
“Me and Pat don’t just go in and say, okay, we’re going to kick some balls, we kind of have a set game plan,” Pineiro explained. “Today, we’re going to do this. We’re going to have a last-second field goal at the end of practice, or, we’re going to manipulate the wind or hit the ball this way for it to go this way,” he continued.
As well as working on honing his kicking skills, Pineiro has been trying to improve the physical side of his game too, making use of Bommarito Performance Systems, which many NFL players visit regularly. Pineiro’s work at BPS falls in line with the Bears suggesting he should bulk up during the offseason. His efforts are paying off thanks to his Monday to Friday stints at BPS, with eight pounds of muscle added.
Speaking about working on the physical side to his game, Pineiro said, “The biggest thing was, gain a little bit of weight and try to get better in the weight room. So, that was the one thing I really focused on this offseason, just adding the weight and getting stronger in the weight room.”
Pineiro joined the Bears last May, and he must continue to improve as he will be battling with Ramiz Ahmed, who arrived in April. Coach Matt Nagy recently spoke about how it’s important for players not to become too comfortable, thinking they have a place in the team come what may. So, he wants his charges to rise to the challenge and embrace the competition which comes their way, something which Eddy Pineiro is doing by putting in the work away from Lake Fores
