The life of an NFL offensive lineman is one of extremes, particularly when it comes to diet. Players are often pushed to consume massive amounts of calories to maintain their playing sizes, which can lead to dangerous habits and disordered eating. This was certainly the case for Jordan Gross, who played 11 seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Gross's post-retirement weight loss journey is a testament to the unhealthy relationship with food that many offensive linemen develop and his commitment to a healthier lifestyle.
The Artificial Size of an Offensive Lineman
In an interview with ESPN, Gross called his playing size "artificial," noting people are not meant to be that big. A lot of the weight is artificial to begin with. 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.
The average weight of starting offensive linemen has ballooned over the years. According to Elias Sports Bureau research, the average weight was 254.3 pounds in 1970, jumping to 276.9 by 1990. By 2000, it was 309.4 pounds, and today it stands at 315, more than 60 pounds heavier than 50 years ago.
To maintain this size, linemen consume exorbitant amounts of food. Gross explained that every meal was like Thanksgiving, eating huge breakfasts with protein shakes and hard-boiled eggs in between, followed by a huge lunch, snacks, and a big dinner with something right before bed. He was always big on the carbs.
During training camp at Wofford College, Gross would indulge in a concoction of soft-serve ice cream, whole milk, homemade chocolate cookies, 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."
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Thomas told ESPN a typical day of eating during his playing days might have included eight eggs, three pancakes, pasta, meatballs, two protein shakes, an entire pizza, a sleeve of cookies, and a bowl of ice cream.
The Turning Point: Retirement and a New Focus
Gross retired in 2014 and decided to make a change. He started studying nutrition and committed to eating mostly fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and lots of water. He also incorporated running and high-repetition weightlifting into his routine.
"For my whole life, up until January, you were training to be as big and strong as possible," Gross said. "So you'd lift weights and you'd push sleds and you'd run hills to be powerful and big."
The pounds disappeared quickly at first, with Gross dropping 3-4 pounds a week. Within six months, he had lost 70 pounds. He experimented with different types of eating regiments, including vegetarian and paleo, and managed to drop 80-plus pounds in six months. He is now carrying 235 pounds on his 6-4 frame.
The Benefits of Slimming Down
Gross experienced numerous benefits from his weight loss. He no longer suffered from constant sweating and felt relief in his feet and ankles. His wife, Dana, even joked about his slim, new look, saying she was "having an affair on me - with me."
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Other former offensive linemen have also experienced similar benefits after losing weight. Alan 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.
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.
Staley, albeit sheepishly, admits he likes the fact that his muscles are getting defined.
The Unhealthy Relationship with Food
Gross's weight loss journey highlights the unhealthy relationship with food that many offensive linemen develop. 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."
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Body image and self-esteem issues can fester, as these athletes are told their worth can essentially be measured in calories and pounds.
"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."
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.
Thomas finds a McDonald's on the GPS. It will be quick -- just a bit of fuel between lunch and dinner. He orders two double cheeseburgers, two McChickens, a double quarter-pounder with cheese, one large order of fries and a large Dr. Pepper."Or another sugary drink," he said recently. "Just to add 500 calories, the easy way."
A Lasting Legacy
Gross believes his 70-pound post-retirement weight loss is his lasting legacy. Gross told ESPN, “Fans know me more for losing weight than they do for anything I did in my entire career.”
Gross's story is an inspiration to other athletes and individuals struggling with weight and body image issues. It demonstrates that it is possible to break free from unhealthy habits and achieve a healthier lifestyle.
Other Examples of Transformation
Gross is not the only former NFL lineman to undergo a dramatic transformation after retirement. Longtime San Francisco 49ers tackle Joe Staley has lost 50 pounds, while former Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda dropped 60 pounds in three months. 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.
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. His journey might seem dramatic, but it's not uncommon. By September 2019, TMZ picked up Thomas' transformation, headlining an article: "Ex-NFL Fat Guy … LOOKS LIKE A CHISELED GREEK GOD."
The Pressure to Gain Weight
Gaining weight can become an all-consuming sport for offensive linemen, often beginning in college. Hardwick enrolled at Purdue on a 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.
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."