: Use heat/cold therapy and pacing to manage daily activity [25, 36].

As the 2026 NFL Draft unfolded, "chronic" became the most feared word for high-tier athletes. The biggest story of the draft involved Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy , whose projected top-10 status plummeted due to a "medical red dot" concerning a chronic knee issue [24].

: Teams like the San Francisco 49ers are under increasing pressure to avoid these "painful draft memories" and find durable stars to replace an aging roster [29]. 2. FDA Draft Guidance: A New Era for Pain Management