The 2025 NFL campaign is quickly approaching. Since the draft, the offseason has seemingly flown by, especially for the most active teams in the league. The Cleveland Browns have been especially zooming through the summer, with the massive spotlight on them following their decision to end Shedeur Sanders' slide in the fifth round.
Cleveland wrapped up their final session of offseason OTAs, or organized team activities, on June 19. Now, all the Browns will have a few weeks off before they report for training camp towards the end of July. Rookies are required to be on site a bit earlier on July 18, while the veterans will arrive on July 22.
This short stretch makes up the bulk of the true offseason for NFL players. Most of their "off time" actually consists of workouts, minicamps, the draft, training camp, etc., but, for about a month, they can go on vacation and do whatever they please between late June and early July.
Browns tight end Brenden Bates recently went viral for his choice of offseason activity: golf. While there are plenty of athletes in the NFL who like to hit the greens from time to time, Bates decided to take it up a notch and try his hand at emulating one of the most influential golfers of all time, albeit a fictional one.
Attempting to replicate Happy Gilmore's infamous "lead-up" golf swing, Bates fell flat... literally. The moving start was good, the form was on point, the power behind the motion was evident, but the contact was non-existent, and the 6'5", 255-pound tight end's momentum sent him twirling through the air and onto his back.
Brenden Bates originally went undrafted out of the University of Kentucky in 2024 before signing with the Chicago Bears. Since then, he's appeared with the New York Jets and Browns, playing an estimated 70 total snaps last season. With Cleveland drafting tight end Harold Fannin Jr. out of Bowling Green in the third round, Bates could find it hard to see more playing time this year. Apparently, his golf game won't win him any favors with the coaching staff either.