Coughlin rips Jaguars' voluntary workout no-shows, NFLPA fires back

For Tom Coughlin, voluntary offseason conditioning programs are anything but.

On Thursday, the Jacksonville Jaguars' executive vice president of football operations expressed his disappointment that the team didn't have full attendance for workouts. He didn't specifically name the only two players who weren't with their teammates - cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker Telvin Smith.

"We're very close to 100 percent attendance, and quite frankly, our players should be here building the concept of team, working hard side by side, constructing our bond of togetherness, formulating our collective priorities and goals," Coughlin said, according to ESPN's Michael DiRocco. "Success in the NFL demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of team. The hard work that many try to avoid is the major building block for the development of an outstanding football team.

"It's not about rights and privileges. It's about obligations and responsibility, and the question is: Can we count on you?"

Coughlin's comments drew a quick response from NFL Players Association president Eric Winston, who hinted that the union could take action against the Jaguars for violating the collective bargaining agreement.

"Our CBA definition of voluntary is the same as the actual definition of voluntary and prohibits anyone from threatening players to participate in voluntary workouts," Winston said in a statement to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. "This is precisely the reason players negotiated strict work rules and bright lines when it comes to offseason activities. We know, from experience, that not all coaches and executives will adhere to them and we always pursue any violations to protect our rules."

During his 12-year stint as New York Giants head coach, Coughlin earned a reputation as a stickler for punctuality. He had all the clocks in the Giants' facility set five minutes fast, which was affectionately referred to as "Tom Coughlin time."

It's the second straight year that Ramsey has missed this portion of the offseason. Smith, however, was a surprise absentee after attending every year since he entered the league in 2014.

The Jaguars apparently remain in the dark about the two players' intentions for mandatory minicamp in mid-June. On Tuesday, coach Doug Marrone said that neither player had responded to his attempts to reach out.