The Unhealthiest NFL Diets – Health Digest

NFL players are often considered emblematic of fitness. They’re peak physical specimens, fueled by the goodness of lean proteins, healthy smoothies, and perfectly portioned meals. After all, these professionals have to be ready for anything on the field — and being that quick, strong, and agile definitely calls for some serious nutritional discipline. While many players do, in fact, treat their diets with an almost scientific precision, not every football star lives by that philosophy.

In fact, some players thrive on habits that might throw anyone off. So how can they possibly accomplish those explosive on-field maneuvers — like sprinting into the end zone and administering those jaw-dropping tackles — if they don’t eat right all the time? It’s surprising what trained athletes can do despite their diets! As Jeffrey Potteiger, a professor at Grand Valley State University’s Department of Movement Science, told U.S. News & World Report, “Football players are generally viewed as being physically active — and they are — and they’re generally viewed as being in great shape — and they are.”

But “great shape” doesn’t always equate to a great diet. Some players dominate the field while living on meals consisting of fast food and candy — meals that would leave most people napping. Others swear by processed foods that they readily admit their team nutritionists would not advise them to eat. Here are a few of the shockingly unhealthy diets that some NFL players have adopted over the years.

Most NFL players kickstart their days with some sort of balanced breakfast — think lean proteins, nutrient-rich vegetables, and complex carbohydrates, all of which can help optimize their performance on the field. But Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson took a decidedly unconventional approach when he decided to shed 25 pounds to improve his agility on the field.

His secret: Jimmy Dean sausages. “I wasn’t trying to eat as much in the morning,” he explained on the Ravens’ “The Lounge” podcast. “I was trying to eat in the afternoon. I’ll probably eat, like — I shouldn’t eat it, probably; [Ravens lead nutritionist] Sarah [Snyder] wouldn’t agree with it — so I eat, like, a Jimmy Dean sausage, corn dog sausage in the morning. Eat one or two of those, then probably work out, run or something.”

Jackson is spot on in that it’s not exactly a dietitian-approved breakfast. However, his strategy of reducing calories coupled with intense cardio sessions quickly helped him drop the extra weight he gained in 2022. Instead of following the traditional balanced diet approach, he relied on portion control and high-energy workouts to reach his goal. “So I was cutting fat — not really fat, a lot of the weight I gained — off fast. I’m just running, a lot of cardio, stuff like that. And I feel good.”

Strict meal plans are the norm for most athletes. Jacksonville Jaguars lineman Arik Armstead, though, is not afraid to indulge. Known for his love of trying new foods, the player has even developed a little side gig as a food influencer on TikTok. His videos revealing his favorite orders at different restaurants have earned thousands upon thousands of views to date. He once shared a video of his 3,500-calorie Panda Express feast, complete with multiple entrees and sides.

He talked to GQ about his indulgences. “It depends on the occasion, but if I’m going out to eat, I’m looking for something new that I haven’t had before. And when I do that, I like to try the majority of stuff on the menu. I’ll order a few appetizers, a couple entrees to share. I don’t do dessert every time I’m out, but I like to try different desserts. But that’s when I’m going out to eat, which is not every night, of course.”

Despite his epic cheat meals of pizza, Chinese food, and the like, Armstead still manages to balance indulgences with an innate discipline — and a general understanding that everything in moderation is a smart adage. “…I work hard,” he says, “and it’s OK to treat yourself every now and then. I have my diet and my regimen, but I’m not so rigid in the sense that I won’t enjoy myself or have a great cheat meal from time to time.”

For former San Diego Chargers center Nick Hardwick, maintaining his 300-pound playing weight involved tailoring his diet in a very extreme way. Hardwick’s approach was truly epic, as he developed a jaw-dropping meal plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that clocked in at around 7,000 calories every single day. The diet featured everything from the expected (like protein-packed meals) to nightly pints of ice cream.

“I’m not naturally a big person,” Hardwick told Sports Illustrated. “So it took a lot of effort for me to sustain that weight.” That effort meant starting his day with a 600-calorie protein shake at 4:45 a.m., followed by protein bars, Gatorade shakes, smoothies, eggs, sausage, and a hefty serving of mixed nuts. He continued the food marathon at lunch and dinner, powering through giant salads, more protein shakes, and cereal mixed with an entire tub of Greek yogurt. The finishing touch was a daily pint of Ben & Jerry’s Karamel Sutra (a cool 1,040 calories) before bed.

While it sounds like a dream for foodies, Hardwick admitted it was not as enjoyable as it sounds. “I was uncomfortable a lot of the time. I was overinflated and felt bloated,” he said to the Los Angeles Times. Post-retirement, he shed the weight quickly by streamlining his eating and recommitting to his overall health.

Former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney was known for his intense commitment to his health and fitness, but his diet took things to an entirely different level. From Wednesday morning until Sunday afternoon, before every game, Freeney ate nothing but beef and pinto beans. This no-nonsense routine helped him stay lean and focused throughout the week, even if it wasn’t exactly the most exciting of meal plans.

Freeney followed this regimen as part of Sari Mellman’s Dietary Progression, a diet designed to optimize his body’s inflammatory response and cellular function. The plan was adjusted every few months based on his blood test results. Freeney’s dedication to the plan was evident even when he dined at restaurants. He followed a very strict regimen, going so far as to bring his own ingredients to eateries and instructing the chef how to prepare his meal. “No oil, no pepper, no garlic, no garnish, no powder, and certainly no pan spray,” he told Sports Illustrated. Even a sprig of parsley, it’s been noted, was too much for his hyper-disciplined approach to health.

Despite this, Freeney did allow himself a couple of cheat days every week. It’s said that he could gain up to five pounds on those days, but he would expertly lose it all by Thursday to prepare for the upcoming week. While extreme, this over-the-top diet worked for Freeney, as he and the Colts won Super Bowl XLI in 2007.

One of the greatest to ever play the game, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson was a winner on all counts, and, remarkably, he credited much of that success to McDonald’s. Johnson took an unconventional approach to shaping his diet, fueling his workouts with grub from the Golden Arches. The storied establishment was a household staple when Johnson was a child, and that early connection stayed with him throughout his career. “You know what happened when I was little, too, when I ate McDonald’s? I never got hurt,” he declared to GQ Sports.

His go-to order was a Big Mac meal with extra cheese, no onions, and a Coke with no ice. This wasn’t just an occasional indulgence, either. It was a part of his regular routine, and despite widespread skepticism, Johnson was firm in the belief that his McDonald’s-heavy diet plan was at least partially responsible for his resilience. “You play a barbaric sport. Your body needs to build a callus,” he explained at the Sports Illustrated Awards in 2021, emphasizing that his fast-food regimen contributed to both his physical toughness and his consistent performance on the field.

Even after retiring, Johnson didn’t stray from his love for McDonald’s. His passion ran so deep, in fact, that he eventually invested in the restaurant and became an owner of three franchises in Cincinnati, Miami, and Indiana.

DK Metcalf may be known for his powerful moves, but in recent years he’s also become widely known for his unusual diet. Once upon a time, his curious habits garnered an incredible amount of attention. In 2022, the wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks revealed that he consumed one full meal, one coffee, and an astonishing three to four bags of candy every single day. His go-to treats included Skittles Gummies and LifeSavers, which can arguably be too much candy for anyone, let alone an athlete.

Fast forward to 2024, and Metcalf has made some important changes. “I eat twice a day now,” he shared (via KING-TV). “I’ve slowed down on the coffee and candy.” It’s more in line with Metcalf’s earlier playing days, during which he told GQ that he had a private chef who cooked healthy, low-carb dishes. At the time, he said, “A lot of protein and veggies. Like today, for breakfast, she had me eating a lot of vegetables, three slices of bacon, and some fruit. I try not to eat a lot of fats and oils, and I stay away from carbs and sugars.”

His candy habit even spurred some concern among fans. “A lot of parents [are] saying, ‘You’re messing with my kid’s diet,” he said (via KING-TV). “My kid thinks he can eat candy all day. I apologize to all of the parents that I messed up their kid’s diet. That was just something I did.”

Former Cleveland Browns lineman Joe Thomas took his eating to the extreme to achieve the mind-boggling number of calories necessary to maintain his 300-pound playing weight. The player reportedly consumed up to 7,000 calories a day, packing in multiple feasts for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. His day started with loaded oatmeal, Greek yogurt, as many as 10 scrambled eggs, and multiple strips of bacon. Between meals, he’d snack on beef jerky and smoothies. Lunches were equally indulgent, with hearty burgers and fries. “For dinner I would eat, like, a pan of lasagna,” Thomas confessed to GQ. “Before bed, I would usually eat a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies and a bowl of ice cream, or sometimes a freezer pizza in the oven.”

Unsurprisingly, this intake, coupled with his weight, took quite a toll on his health. He frequently relied on anti-inflammatories to manage pain, admitting that he had to eat far beyond normal hunger cues to sustain his weight. Retirement, however, marked a welcome turning point for the player. In an effort to reclaim his health, Thomas shed an impressive 50 pounds within months of leaving the game.

His strategy was simple. “You just don’t eat until you feel like you’re gonna throw up at every meal,” he told talkSPORT. “I wanted to lose weight. I wanted to find a way to stay in shape.”

It’s not easy to tell today, but in his early NFL days, New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan had a decidedly unexpected pre-game ritual: He would stop at fast food restaurants on his way to the games to fuel up. At the time, team officials had urged him to bulk up — but Strahan confessed that he didn’t have much guidance about nutrition. His solution was quick, calorie-dense foods that could help him maintain his desired weight. Strahan told Men’s Health, “I used to actually stop at fast food restaurants and eat before I got to the stadium.”

At that point, Strahan weighed 250 pounds. As he matured, though, he discovered the important role diet played in his performance. He swapped the greasy meals for lighter, more balanced options — and noticed a considerable improvement in how he felt and moved. Incorporating egg whites, toast, and small portions of bacon into his routine left him feeling lighter on his feet and more agile on the field. “I went from eating all that stuff to eating light. I felt a little more explosive, and I felt more focused.”

Strahan’s diet changed considerably following his 2008 retirement. The player summed up his eating habits and weight gain in a single sentence, telling Men’s Health: “It wasn’t me.” While he still enjoys occasional indulgences like burgers and fries, moderation leads his eating habits now and has made a significant difference to his overall health.