With the path to the draft the only remaining road between us and summer football doldrums, trope season is officially in full swing. A main byproduct of trope season are updates on weight losses and gains of NFL players. Some stories are interesting; others, not so much.
One notable weight-loss story this spring is Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who looked noticeably svelte in a recent picture at a University of Pittsburgh practice.
Big Ben's agent, Ryan Tollner, told ESPN that the quarterback lost at least 15 pounds this offseason on a "high-cardio" workout plan.
The biggest reason for the weight loss is Roethlisberger is actually healthy enough to undergo rigorous offseason training after dealing with multiple injuries last year.
"He couldn't really work out because he kept getting hurt," Tollner said. "I think he said after the season, you know what, I'm going to lose weight to alleviate potential pain in my joints."
Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert recently said he believes Big Ben, 34, has "three to four" prime years left. Shedding some weight and maintaining a rigorous diet -- a la Tom Brady -- could extend that timeframe for the oft-injured Roethlisberger.
The quarterback missed four full games last season and didn't start another while dealing with a knee injury. In his 12 pro seasons, Big Ben has played 16 games just three times. He's often played at a bigger weight to absorb the constant pounding that comes with his hold-the-ball playing style. Now he's taking a different route to try and maintain his health by shedding those extra pounds.
