In my opinion, right now is one of the more underrated times in the NFL season, the build-up. Training camp is close enough to taste, and in Green Bay, that means something different than it does anywhere else.

This time of year, always brings that universal NFL feeling. Every roster is optimistic, and every locker room believes it has a shot. It’s the only moment on the football calendar where hope is undefeated. That’s a special thing, and in Green Bay, the expectation is always above the standard. Giving the hope good reason.

There’s nothing else like it in the league. Other teams have camp. Green Bay has a ritual. A rhythm. A community event that feels stitched into the DNA of the franchise. Creating core memories for the youth of Green Bay and making lifelong fans along the way.

The tradition: Beginning in 1958. The first training camp took place at the then-new Green Bay City Stadium (later renamed Lambeau Field). Children would congregate outside the locker room and lend their bikes to players so they could take a quick ride to the practice field.

Players like Safety Bobby Dillon and halfback Don McIlhenny got it kicked off, and it has carried generationally. The likes of Bart Starr, Brett Favre & Reggie White, Aaron Rodgers, today’s Jordan Love, and so many others, legends, who the tradition has carried throughout. An organization that has continually set the bar for others to follow.

Training camp is where possibility becomes reality. Where rookies try to prove they belong. Where veterans sharpen the edges of their game. Where fans get their first glimpse of what the season might become.

It’s the only moment where the entire league is undefeated. Physically, mentally, emotionally. That’s a rare kind of hope, and in Green Bay, it hits different because the expectations aren’t just wishful thinking. They’re part of the culture. Part of the standard. Part of the reason this place feels so alive as July turns toward August.

The laying of the groundwork and where the culture and comradery begin. Players would understand that more than any fan ever could. Success takes time, and it also takes trust. A key reason why preseason’s importance will never be debated.

With Green Bay’s strong mix of veterans and youth, old and new faces, the curiosity around who will step up and be a key contributor this year makes camp even more exciting.

Practices on Ray Nitschke Field, Family Night in Lambeau Field, all experiences provide players, families, and fans with ones unlike any they’ve experienced in their journeys up until this point.

It’s one of the best times of the year in Green Bay, and if you’re feeling that familiar buzz, you’re not alone. Football is coming. The bikes are ready. The hope is real.

Packers training camp is officially underway!

The decades old tradition stands strong as kids line up with bikes with the hopes a Packer player will pick theirs to ride down to practice.

First down the track this year is TE Tucker Kraft. The rest are on their way! #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/gPK6cOn61P

— SleeperPackers (@SleeperPackers) July 23, 2025

Missing our #PackersCamp tradition this year. #Packers players have been riding kids' bikes to training camp practice since the Lombardi era. 🚴@amfam #DreamDrive Flashback 📸 pic.twitter.com/lHiLEKjci9

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 3, 2020

Packer fans around Boston! Let’s kick off the NFL season together. As part of @cheeseheadtv I’m hosting a Packers Bar Night at The Banshee for the preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Great food, cold drinks, and a room full of green & gold. 3 weeks from today!🧀 🏈 pic.twitter.com/NnV1yKWiOH

— Luke Leavitt (@LukeLeavitt7) July 23, 2026