The Minnesota Vikings needed to run the table late in the 2012 season to make the playoffs. They did so on the back of Adrian Peterson and the running game.
Left tackle Matt Kalil revealed Wednesday that during the stretch run he was battling pneumonia, which caused him to lose 15 to 20 pounds.
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"I couldn't eat anything for about three days," the 6-foot-6 Kalil told Tom Pelissero of 1500 ESPN. "So, that wasn't really good."
Kalil missed two practices prior to the Week 16 blowout win over the Houston Texans that kept the Vikings' playoff hopes alive. At the time, he and the Vikings were vague about the illness.
Kalil played most of his rookie season at 310 pounds before catching pneumonia. He ended up dropping to 280 pounds this offseason before resuming workouts and doesn't anticipate any residual problems heading into the 2013 season.
"When I stop working out, I lose weight," he said, via the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "Some guys stop working out, and they gain weight. I shrivel up when I stop working out. I'm back to about 305 now. I'm probably looking to be 315 in the season. That shouldn't be a problem for me."
Follow Kevin Patra on Twitter @kpatra.
