KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — This past offseason, Chiefs offensive lineman Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson could have made like a couple of college kids on spring break, sleeping ’til noon and then hitting the beach.

Instead, they rose with the sun and worked until they dropped.

You see, Allen and Stephenson joined a growing number of players taking part in offseason camps and academies, often organized and run by former NFL players. The lure is simple: The rare opportunity for guys with gumption to get ahead in a business that has become particular about the amount of time players can spend with their regular coaches at their team facilities.