I had been eating well and even avoided my favorite meal: Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen fried chicken with a biscuit. All of my training had led to this moment. The combine was my chance to showcase my healthier, faster form side-by-side with the best college football players in the nation. Then came my biggest job interview to date: the NFL Scouting Combine. I felt leaner, I was able to move faster, and it showed. ![]() In about two months, I had cut 13 pounds and built muscle mass. A lot of weight that actually slowed me down. At 6’0” tall, that was a lot of weight to carry with me. I also started cooking more because I knew what healthy foods I enjoyed.Įating cleaner made me feel better physically and mentally, but eating the right foods was only part of the solution. Wednesdays and Sundays were my cheat days so I explored the local restaurants and tried more new foods. It tastes really good and I never get tired of it. I’ve been eating that most days for lunch and dinner. For the most part, I stuck to salmon with mixed veggies, brown rice, and a slice of bacon. The nutritionists at EXOS worked with me to get meals tweaked to my liking. No one knows how long they’ll be in the NFL, but you have to focus on what you can control, and that’s just what I did. I wanted to focus on longevity, something Texas alumni had instilled in me. The goal was reducing my body fat percentage and building lean muscle. The team at EXOS helped me put together a nutrition plan that allowed me to still have my favorite meals to an extent, just with a few tweaks. I pushed myself in the weight room and on the field five days a week. That is where EXOS came in.Įating clean and fueling my body better was one of the roads I took toward that goal. I wanted to take things up a notch and to become the best version of myself. He always told me, “You can’t keep doing the same things and expecting different results.” I was fast, but I could be faster. I remember my dad’s words echoing in my mind as I pulled up to EXOS. Since it wasn’t slowing me down, I didn’t think anything of it. Groceries were on my dime so if I didn’t like a purchase, that was money wasted out my pocket. I didn’t know what was healthy and what went well together. ![]() Not that I couldn’t cook I didn’t know what to cook. When I did cook, I didn’t know what I was doing. I mainly grabbed quick meals in the cafeteria and ended up eating a classic college diet. The student-athlete schedule didn’t allow much time to cook. They were always on me about my diet, but with so much on my plate in addition to football, I didn’t have the time or resources to devote to make substantial changes to my diet. The Texas nutrition staff educated and advised me on what to eat, but it was on me to put that plan into action. I was fast and at 246 pounds, I was tough to bring down. I was proud of my accomplishments, but that wasn't enough. ![]() When I arrived at the EXOS Gym in Gulf Breeze, Florida, in early January, I had recently been honored with the Doak Walker Award for being the top running back in the nation, an honor I was incredibly proud of and that I worked extremely hard to obtain from day one at the University of Texas. Here, he talks about preparing for his upcoming pro-day where he will showcase his athletic ability for scouts. In the coming months, he will chronicle his journey through the draft and into the season for Men's Health in a weekly column. Adding him to a room that already includes Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, Scotty Miller and Tyler Johnson makes one of the NFL’s best wide receiver groups even stronger.Īnd who knows, maybe if Brady ever actually retires from playing football, he might have a future in the front office.After a successful career at the University of Texas where he won the Doak Walker award for being the best running back in the country, D'Onta Foreman opted for the NFL Draft. The one receiver the Bucs did select, Jaelon Darden, might not be big, but he’s certainly good and fast. He likes really good, big, fast receivers.” And I will critique your ability to critique receivers.”Įisen asked how Brady fared on his assignment. “Look at these receivers and see if there is something you like,” Arians said ( via Joe Bucs Fan). ![]() Speaking on the “Rich Eisen Show,” Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said that not only did the team’s decision-makers keep Tom Brady in the loop about their plan to potentially select a quarterback in the early rounds, but they also enlisted his help to break down some of the top pass-catchers in this year’s rookie class. There may be some NFL teams that don’t involve their quarterback in the decision-making process when it comes to adding new talent in the draft, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t appear to be one of them.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |