It's almost that time football fans... it's almost time for the some football!!!! The NFL training camp is the first step to kickoff the season. During this time, teams will gather at an outside location, usually a university, to conduct training camp for at least the first few weeks. The camp itself is used in several different ways. New players and coaches use it to acclimate themselves to new teammates, new systems, and weather since training camps begin in the hot days of summer. Young players use the time to prove that they can become starters. Veterans use the time to prove they can still handle the workload.

Training camp is divided into several different components. The first is scrimmages. These are pseudo-games where teams run nearly full games' worth of plays. Sometimes, two practice sessions are held on the same day. This concept is referred to as two-a-days. Other parts of training camp include drills, meetings with coaches and other players at one's position, weight training, and pre-season games.

The latter half of training camp leads directly into the exhibition season.

The dates and locations for the 2012 NFL training camps are as follows...