GREEN BAY — The first order of business when the Green Bay Packers return to work Friday morning will be a team meeting. And peeing.
Yes, while coach Mike McCarthy said it with a sly smile on Monday, the Packers veteran head coach probably wasn't kidding when he said players would have their hydration levels checked upon their return.
Inside the locker room bathroom hangs a very large poster with various colors of, well, urine. It's meant to make sure players are monitoring their hydration. As part of McCarthy's focus on total wellness this season, players have been tested each week for their hydration levels.
And as McCarthy and quarterback Aaron Rodgers semi-joked after Rodgers hurt his calf against Tampa Bay two weeks ago, Rodgers pulling a muscle was surprising because he had his best hydration results before the game because he was pushing fluids to combat the flu.
The point of all this? Given the players had New Year's Eve and New Year's Day off among their three days away, the training staff will want to make sure players who had a good time rining in 2015 did a good job of rehydrating afterward.
"I understand we'll have the holiday đź”› Wednesday and Thursday, so hydration testing on Friday morning will be the first thing we do," McCarthy said before dismissing the players for their time off. "We'll stay on top of our business."
Rodgers said during his weekly radio show on 540 ESPN and ESPNWisconsin.com on Tuesday that players are encouraged to not only behave themselves when they go out on the town but also hydrate themselves.
"There's an understanding and also always a reminder when you're out there about who you represent — your team, the organization, and your teammates," Rodgers said. "We're grownups. There's a responsibility. Guys are expected to conduct themselves the right way.
"[As for hydration], we talk about the 1-for-1 thing. If you enjoy a drink, make sure you have a drink and then a water — that's good hydration. Friday morning, I'm sure there'll be some interesting hydration tests taken."
Jason Wilde wrote: