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Sports Aug 10, 2023
Joey Bosa. | Photo courtesy of Thomson200/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 1.0)
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Los Angeles Chargers’ linebacker Joey Bosa, once known for his quick and agile play, is now working on adding more strength to continue to dominate the field in the upcoming NFL season. The 28-year-old pass-rusher has turned to an extreme diet, consuming between 4,500 to 5,000 calories a day, in an effort to gain strength and become harder for offensive linemen to move, according to Lindsey Thiry, a journalist from ESPN.
Bosa, with a notable career as the 2016 Defensive Rookie of the Year, has shifted his weight throughout his professional journey based on the requirements of his performance. In the 2016 Scouting Combine, Bosa weighed in at 269 pounds. However, to increase his speed on the field, Bosa later dropped his weight and played last season at approximately 250 pounds. Bosa’s changing physique is part of his evolving strategy for ensuring his strength and effectiveness in the game.
“Eating isn’t really enjoyable these days,” Bosa said, via Lindsey Thiry of ESPN. “It’s more so just part of the job” — an insight into the grueling regime undertaken by professional NFL athletes like Bosa. His weight-gain mission is fueled by a nutritionist-monitored diet including hearty servings of red meat, chicken, fish, and plenty of veggies, consumed five to six times a day.
Despite being sidelined due to a groin injury in the third week of the 2022 season which kept him off the field until Week 17, the Ohio State alumni has returned this year with a bang, weighing in recently at a bulked-up 276 pounds. The weight gain has already been noted by Bosa’s Chargers teammate, offensive tackle Rashawn Slater, who confirmed the increased strength in Bosa’s game during training camp sessions.
The weight gain strategy stems from conversations between Bosa and Chargers’ position coach Giff Smith. Wanting to regain his powerful presence on the field, Bosa said he hopes the additional pounds will enhance his control in the game.
Bosa, listed at 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, has also restructured his contract this offseason allowing the Chargers to attain additional cap space. The team then rechanneled and added seven million dollars into other bonuses and incentives for him. Bosa’s effort to gain weight, along with his contractual arrangements, demonstrates a significant commitment to his performance in the upcoming season.
