Ever wonder how those massive NFL offensive linemen, built like tanks during their playing days, manage their weight after retirement? Joe Staley, a former San Francisco 49ers star, lost a whopping 50 pounds after hanging up his cleats, and his story is a compelling example of how it's done. This isn't just about shedding pounds; it's about the mental and physical challenges faced by these athletes as they transition to a totally different life. We'll explore Staley's journey, delve into the unique hurdles faced by former linemen (think super-high-calorie diets!), and provide practical, easy-to-follow advice applicable to anyone aiming for sustainable weight loss.
The Unique Challenges for Retired Offensive Linemen
Think about the life of an NFL offensive lineman: years of grueling training, intense games, and a calorie intake often exceeding 5,000 calories daily-a number most of us can't even comprehend! This fuels the massive physique necessary for their position. Retirement dramatically alters this equation. The need for those extra calories disappears, yet ingrained habits and mindset surrounding food intake persist. This sudden shift presents immense physical and mental challenges. Joe Staley's weight loss journey perfectly illustrates these complexities.
It wasn't easy playing 10,000 consecutive snaps or fending off football's most explosive pass-rushers. But it was just as hard for Thomas to maintain a 300-plus-pound frame. He had to consume an insatiable amount of food. Here's a potential day in the life:
Think breakfast: four pieces of bacon, four sausage links, eight eggs, three pancakes and oatmeal with peanut butter, followed by a midmorning protein shake. Lunch? Perhaps pasta, meatballs, cookies "and maybe a salad, great, whatever" from the team cafeteria. For dinner, Thomas could devour an entire Detroit-style pizza himself, and then follow it with a sleeve of Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies and a bowl of ice cream. And finally, he would slurp down another protein shake before getting into bed.
"If I went two hours without eating, I literally would have cut your arm off and started eating it," the former offensive lineman said. "I felt if I missed a meal after two hours, I was going to lose weight, and I was going to get in trouble. That was the mindset I had. We got weighed in on Mondays, and if I lost 5 pounds, my coach was going to give me hell."
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Eating in excess isn't as glamorous as it sounds. In fact, laborious might be the better word. Throughout his career, Thomas woke up in the middle of the night and "crushed Tums." He relied on pain medications and anti-inflammatories, and he had constant heartburn.
Then Thomas retired in 2018. "When you start eating and exercising like a normal human being," Thomas said, "the health benefits are amazing." He not only threw away the over-the-counter meds, but his skin cleared up, his yoga practice improved and he felt less bloated. Within six months, 60 pounds melted off from his 325-pound playing weight. By September 2019, TMZ picked up Thomas' transformation, headlining an article: "Ex-NFL Fat Guy … LOOKS LIKE A CHISELED GREEK GOD."
Thomas is the latest example of an offensive lineman who, after retiring, recommitted to a normalized, healthy lifestyle after overeating and over-medicating during his NFL career. Longtime San Francisco 49ers tackle Joe Staley, who played in the most recent Super Bowl, has already donated five garbage bags of clothing and bought all new belts since his waist slimmed from 40 to 36 inches and he lost 50 pounds. Former Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda dropped 60 pounds in three months by going from 6,000 calories per day to 2,000. Nick Hardwick, Jeff Saturday, Alan Faneca and Matt Birk are all former big guys who now look like shells of themselves, which generated tabloid-like attention. The list continues on and on.
'Training yourself to have an eating disorder' Former offensive tackle Jordan Gross started 167 games over 11 seasons for the Carolina Panthers. He was a Pro Bowler three times, made the All-Rookie team in 2003 and started at right tackle for the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Then he retired in 2014 and lost 70 pounds within six months.
"Fans know me more for losing weight than they do for anything I did in my entire career," Gross said. Thomas puts it bluntly: "You're training yourself to have an eating disorder the way you view food when you're in the NFL, and to try to deprogram that is a real challenge." Body image and self-esteem issues can fester, as these athletes are told their worth can essentially be measured in calories and pounds.
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"I always had this insecurity of being big when it came to dating life, talking to women and going out being a 300-pound man," said former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons center/guard Joe Hawley. "I didn't want to be that big, but I had to because I loved football and that was my job." As Gross points out, "not many people are naturally that big," but bulking up was essential to playing at the highest level and making millions of dollars.
In 2001, Roberts co-founded the Living Heart Foundation, which annually conducts health screenings for retired football players. Roberts warns that massive weight gain can also lead to obesity. "Which then affects their heart, lungs, kidney and their minds," Roberts said. "It's not proven, but it also may be associated with Alzheimer's disease and possibly traumatic brain injury." Once playing careers wind down, many players must assess whether it's worth it to carry the extra pounds. Many have decided to downsize.
Faneca, the longtime Steelers guard, remembers the day he hit a milestone of losing 30 pounds. He was playing on the floor with his daughter and he got up without having to "do the old-man grunt." Thomas said when he was 300 pounds, his body would ache if he had to stand for a few minutes. Gross said he hated the sweating. "I would just sweat profusely all the time," he lamented. "My wife would have hypothermia from me having the room so cold all the time."
Joe Staley's Weight Loss: A Personal Journey
Staley's 50-pound weight loss wasn't about a miracle diet or intense boot camp. While the specifics of his approach may not be publicly known, his transformation underscores the importance of a personalized strategy. It wasn't solely about weight loss; it was about creating a healthier, sustainable lifestyle. It involved finding a new equilibrium after years of prioritizing size and strength above all else. This involved a likely gradual shift in diet and exercise, alongside addressing the mental aspects of this significant life change.
Staley, albeit sheepishly, admits he likes the fact that his muscles are getting defined. "As an offensive lineman, you're always known as this big, humongous, unathletic blob," Staley said. "Offensive linemen get casted in a movie, and they're always 500 pounds. Then you get the opportunity to be healthy again, and all of the effort you used to put into football, you put into that. It gives you a focus once you retire. It's a little bit vain, but I'm starting to see abs that I've always wanted. And it's kind of exciting."
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Staley made a decision in 2010 to get back to his style of play and work towards achieving a leaner body. He worked out with teammates at San Jose State University during the NFL's offseason work stoppage and maintained his focus of adding strength and losing weight. It worked. By Staley's fifth season he reported to camp at 308 pounds and went on to make his first Pro Bowl.There are two types of offensive linemen: those who must artificially add the pounds on, and those who are naturally big. During a summer growth spurt after his sophomore year of high school, Woody grew 6 inches and gained 70 pounds. By the time he got to Boston College, he already weighed 300. "It was never a problem for me to put weight on," he said.
Consider Hardwick, who wrestled in the 171-pound weight class in high school. He enrolled at Purdue on an ROTC scholarship, got a tryout for the football team and ballooned to 295 by slathering 2 pounds of ground beef on multiple tortillas at dinner. A daily dose of that concoction added 59 pounds to Bartch's 6-foot-6 frame, helping him morph from a third-string Division III tight end at St. John's (Minnesota) to a fourth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars as an offensive lineman. Chris Bober, a former New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs lineman, showed up at the University of Nebraska-Omaha at 225 pounds, which was too small. He ate everything he could get his hands on, which was difficult as a college student "who was pretty broke."
When Thomas was at Wisconsin, any player trying to gain weight could grab a 10-ounce to-go carton of heavy whipping cream with added sugars and whey protein after a workout. "I had these premade weight-gainer shakes; they were probably 2,000 calories each," Staley said. "I'd wake myself up in the middle of the night, down that, go back to bed." Although Staley worked with his college strength coach to make sure he was putting on "good weight" -- gaining muscle without unnecessary body fat -- the unnatural eating habits took a toll. "I was bloated for four years straight," Staley said. "You know when you overeat after a really nice dinner at an Italian restaurant, you just eat all these courses and leave feeling gross? That's how I felt the entire time in college."
Staley no longer fit into the clothes he arrived at Central Michigan with but couldn't afford to buy new ones, so he was constantly borrowing from teammates. Most offensive linemen admit they pretty much lived in team-issued sweats.
The habits continue in the NFL. Many older players credit the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, which banned training camp two-a-days, as a turning point. Before then, it felt like their college days. "If I was doing two-a-days, in the summer in South Carolina, going up against Julius Peppers, I was for sure burning 10,000 calories," Gross said.
So at the end of each day in training camp at Wofford College, Gross counted to 15 one-thousands on the soft-serve machine, then blended that with four cups of whole milk, plus three homemade chocolate cookies (which Gross believes were about 850 calories each) and Hershey's chocolate syrup. "That's all inflammatory foods, like sugar and dairy," he said, "I'm not going to say it's horrible; it was pretty awesome to eat that stuff. But you're putting so much demand on your digestive system. I always had gas. I always had to use the bathroom. I was bloated because I was so full all the time."
Actionable Steps Towards Sustainable Weight Loss
The key to lasting weight loss isn't drastic measures, but creating lasting, healthy habits. While Staley's approach may be unique, these strategies are broadly applicable:
- Gradual Dietary Adjustments: Don't go cold turkey. Gradually reduce unhealthy processed foods, sugary drinks, and excessive unhealthy fats. Focus on nutrient-rich whole foods-fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Small, manageable changes over time yield sustainable results.
- Mindful Eating: This isn't about calorie counting, but awareness. Pay attention to your hunger cues. Eat slowly, savor your food, and stop when comfortably satisfied. This simple practice can significantly impact your eating habits.
- Regular Physical Activity: Find activities you enjoy-walking, biking, swimming, dancing, weight training. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. Consistency is key!
- Seek Support & Prioritize Mental Wellbeing: Weight loss is deeply emotional. For athletes, adjusting to a new body image can be jarring. If you struggle with body image issues, stress, or anxiety, seek professional support. Addressing these underlying emotional factors is crucial for overall well-being.
Hardwick, a center with the then-San Diego Chargers who maxed out at 308, said his initial motivation to lose weight was to relieve pressure from his body. "But then there's this material aspect to it," Hardwick said. "You want to be able to wear cooler clothes, and go into stores and start shopping off the rack. And that's alluring for a while. Then that wears off, and you settle in, and people stop freaking out every time they see you. And you just become comfortable once again in your own skin."
The Psychological Side of Weight Loss
Let's acknowledge the significant mental health component. For many former athletes, the emotional aspect is often overlooked but profoundly important. Years of maintaining a specific physique creates a powerful link between body image, identity, and self-worth. Retirement and subsequent weight loss can be emotionally jarring. Some athletes may experience feelings of loss, insecurity, or depression. It's crucial to address these feelings and build a strong support network, seeking professional help if needed.
There's a common refrain among offensive linemen: If you don't lose weight in your first year out of the league, you're probably not going to lose it. Four years after retiring, Woody weighed 388 pounds and agreed to appear on NBC's "The Biggest Loser." Instead of heavy lifting and concentrating on explosive bursts, Woody was asked to do longer cardio and train for endurance. "It was totally different from what I had learned to do and had trained to do my entire life," Woody said. "And it was hard. Like, man, it was really tough."
Woody lost 100 pounds on the show -- then gained it all back. So he just accepted his weight, until this past year, when the 42-year-old renovated his basement into an exercise room. "I wanted to lose weight the right way," Woody said. "In a sustainable way."
Creating a Sustainable Lifestyle: A Marathon, Not a Sprint
Joe Staley's story highlights that sustained weight loss is a holistic pursuit. It's not a quick fix, but a journey demanding consistent effort and commitment. It’s a balance of healthy eating, regular exercise, and attention to mental and emotional wellbeing - a lifestyle change, not just a temporary diet. Remember, the goal is to create healthy habits that last a lifetime.
Staley kept the same mindful approach to his offseason workouts before the 2012 season and enjoyed the best year of his professional career. The 49ers won a second consecutive NFC West title and reached the franchise's sixth Super Bowl. The offensive line was recognized by several media outlets as the best in football, including by Hall of Fame coach John Madden who named them his "Most Valuable Protectors." Staley made his second consecutive Pro Bowl at his preferred playing weight.
In the season opener against the Green Bay Packers, Staley faced another Pro Bowler, outside linebacker Clay Matthews. After repeated collisions in the first quarter, the bridge of Staley's nose was cut from his own helmet rubbing down on his face. Not to be deterred, Staley produced an inspired second-half performance against one of the league's best edge rushers. Staley is looking at the upcoming 2013 season the same way he viewed the past two years under Jim Harbaugh. He's eating smart and training harder. He's also showing his veteran wisdom even more than ever.
"You have to do what plays to your strengths," Staley says. "My strength has always been being quick, athletic and being able to move well. In Staley's mind when you get too light, the opposition tries to bull-rush you. Strength is crucial. That's been the emphasis of the left tackle's off-the-field training. "If I lose weight, I have to keep my strength up," he says. The workouts, now being done at 49ers headquarters as part of the team's offseason strength program, remain important to Staley. That's why he continues to set the tone with the commitment needed in training.
Staley's Legacy: More Than Just Weight Loss
Joe Staley’s career will go down as one of the most important in 49ers franchise history. He’s the best offensive lineman the team has ever had. Staley’s impact on the 49ers is about culture, steadiness, adaptability and leadership. Staley was a bedrock player who survived six head coaches.
Shanahann said, “I was with Joe for three years and he’s as good of a player and warrior and person as any player I’ve ever been around and I love the guy.” George Kittle said, “One of my favorite things about Joe, he embodies absolutely everything about football I think football should be about.” Harbaugh recently said Staley was the best offensive lineman he ever coached. Staley’s 13-year career can be comprised of a series of moments that illustrated his impact. He was a team-first player who prized winning above all else, which was key in San Francisco’s cultural shift under the Shanahan and Lynch regime.
Staley during his retirement news conference recognized the importance of the play but noted it wasn’t among his personal favorites. “That one gets the most play because it was probably the most memorable as far as the moment, it being our first playoff game we had a long time, the way the game went,” Staley said. “But really that was just a play of me running and almost missing the block and kind of tripping a dude. My favorite plays are like the plays that no one would ever recognize. They were like me and Mike Iupati pulled up a three-technique (defensive tackle) and took them off like seven yards off the ball and dumped them on the ground. Plays like that or when you’re in a two-minute drill and you have a seven-step drop on the pass protection and you’re going against a really great player like Khalil Mack and holding up and being able to give the quarterback time in the pocket. Those are my favorite plays because I think that being an offensive lineman is about really doing your job at an exceptionally high level.”
The first time Staley had ever had contact with him, I remember on draft night, he was one of the first texts that I got and responded,” McGlinchey said. “You know, ‘Congratulations. Great job in your career thus far, but it’s time to get to work. Welcome to the Niners.’ And at the end of it was ‘Joe Staley.’ I kind of had a little panic attack,” McGlinchey continued. “I showed my brother, I showed my mom and dad. All that kind of stuff of how cool that moment was for me. And then the next day, you kind of felt his personality for the first time when I walked into the cafeteria for the first time and he made everybody stand up and give me a standing ovation to kind of mess with me. And it was smooth sailing ever since.”
The sad truth about Staley’s career is he never achieved his ultimate goal in football: win the Super Bowl. He told The Bee after falling to the Chiefs in February a championship would mean more to him than the paychecks (he made $84 million in salary during his career) or any individual accolades. "A Super Bowl is the best thing you can do as a professional athlete,” Staley said. “Yeah it sucks. It really does. I mean, it sucks to not be able to win that. I’ve watched since I was 5 years old, watching Super Bowls, and just the joy that it brings to players and being able to hoist that trophy up in the air. I’m just kind of reflecting on the journey that it took to get there and how meaningful that would have been for me and everybody on the football team. There are so many different people that deserve that over the years, but it wasn’t in the cards. I gave everything I had to the game of football. I definitely don’t leave my head hung in that respect. I think I did everything I could do, but it just didn’t happen for whatever reasons. Just didn’t happen for me, didn’t happen for us. That’s frustrating but it’s not something that will torment me for the rest of my life.”
What Staley can take solace in is the impact he had on others that play his position. Of course his influence on McGlinchey will likely be the most pronounced because they were teammates. But other offensive linemen learning the game could also learn from Staley because of the constant adjustments he was forced to make throughout his career. He entered the league in an entirely different era, when linemen were required to be 320-pound behemoths in power running schemes like Harbaugh’s. Later, Staley had to change his body, lose weight and maintain his athleticism for zone blocking schemes used by Chip Kelly and Shanahan.
Staley wrapped up 40-minute video conference this week with tears in his eyes as he got choked up in the finality of the moment. A long, fruitful career was over. "I’m going to miss it,” he said. “I’m going to miss football a lot.
Al Korytkowski rattled off Staley’s times. There was an 11.26 in the 100-meter dash and a 21.97 in the 200 (as a senior in 2003, Staley was the second-fastest finisher in all of Michigan in that race). There were also 4 x 100 (42.5) and 4 x 200 relay (1:27) times. Along with the 200, both were Rockford school records. Staley had anchored those relays with his long, powerful strides. A mere four years after shattering those sprint records on the track, Staley became an imposing NFL offensive tackle, having committed to gaining about 90 pounds for the job. Somehow, Staley maintained much of his speed even as he eclipsed 300 pounds.
Staley was a constant through the peaks and the nadirs. He remained a top NFL tackle until his retirement. McGlinchey said, “There was a transition that he made along with the game of football. Football was a power game then (in 2007). Offensive linemen were big. They were strong. They weren’t exactly looked at as the most athletic guys in the world. And then offenses and defenses started to change and evolve. Joe really played in two generations of football, and to make himself the best in the world at both stops is nothing short of impressive. That’s something that I, without a doubt, believe should be entrenched in the Hall of Fame.”
One old video declared Staley the funniest man in the NFL, and his dry humor - coupled with the ability to get serious at precisely the right times - helped glue together so many different 49ers locker rooms. Korytkowski: Joe was a nice kid, very well-spoken and very well-mannered. Ralph Munger: When Joe caught a pass in high school, if he had a step on you, he was gone. Kelly: He was a freakish athlete with an incredible grit to him. Munger: In high school, Joe was really a very kind, gentle young man but at the same time, he loved to compete. Staley: I scored one (touchdown) and it was a wasted opportunity for a celebration. Quinn: You realize this guy was 220 pounds when he was a freshman? 6-5. He worked his butt off. It was not pleasant to get him up to 300 pounds. At the same time, we were able to put the muscular lean mass on him. He got stronger, but didn’t lose speed. Kelly: Remember, his numbers were off the charts and they would still be today. I think you’re safe to say Joe had one of the fastest times ever recorded by an offensive lineman.
Staley: I would never have made a career out for myself in the NFL if I had not switched positions. So, I’m very thankful for what Brian Kelly and Paul Longo (Central Michigan’s former strength coach who oversaw the physical transformation), Jeff Quinn - all those coaches I had at Central Michigan. Quinn: We had Dan Bazuin, who’d go to the Bears in the second round, on defense. Joe was in a real tough battle and he had a big clump of grass stuck in his facemask. Staley: I love this shit! Kelly: What Joe really liked was that he was being challenged. Quinn: I knew we had him hooked there.
Staley: For anybody who was there my rookie year, I was incredibly serious all the time. They actually called me “G.I. Joe” my rookie year. Snyder: I think he was trying to figure out where he fit in. Staley: I think I used to deal with stress by just trying to make light of what I was feeling a lot of stress about. I just couldn’t deal with the stress that I was feeling every single day to perform at the highest level.
It wasn’t long before the “Joe Show,” which featured Staley doing funny interviews with 49ers teammates in the locker room, was born. Willis: Him doing the Joe Show, he would walk up to us and interview us. Snyder: He’s a loud personality. Former 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman: He could be the funniest guy in the room whenever he wanted to be. There was also a psychological component to Staley’s position switch, and a defining moment came during spring practice in 2004. Roman: When you see his athleticism up close and personal, that’s when it really kicks in. Snyder: You know, Joe was a sprinter in high school. Let’s not forget that. Joe was a wide receiver in high school. Kilgore: Well, we would do “fat-and-go.” Joe would always talk trash and he would want somebody to cover him. Snyder: That’s every lineman’s dream: “Let me get the ball in my hands one time, we’ll run everybody over.” And then he actually did it. Staley: I just wanted to make sure I caught it, and once I caught it, don’t fumble. I really wanted to hit somebody really hard, too.