Cardinals getting snack breaks halfway through practices

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Midway through Arizona Cardinals training camp practices, a snack cart is rolled onto the sideline. A horn sounds, the players stop what they’re doing and walk over to the cart, grabbing bites of fruit and drinks.

Just don’t call it a snack break.

“It’s halftime,” first-year Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said Saturday. “It’s not a snack break. I appreciate y’all coining that.”

Camp Kingsbury has been a little different for the Cardinals so far.

Not only is the rookie coach implementing a college-style “Air Raid” offense, he has allowed players to take cellphone breaks during meetings to keep their attention sharp.

And then come the snacks.

The halftime snack breaks include bits of pineapple, cups of strawberries and power-boosting drinks, among other things.

The breaks are sort of like snack time in kindergarten – minus the milk cartons – only with a football purpose.

“A lot of it is player safety, hydrating and keeping those guys fed,” Kingsbury said. “I want to have a quick pause and then how do we pick up in the second half of practice coming out of halftime and finishing practice strong?”

So halftime is snack time in the desert.