: Episode 699 - NFL player Chris Manhertz, Tight End formerly for the New Orleans Saints, and now for the Carolina Panthers, joins Vinnie to discuss football and becoming an elite athlete. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR Pure Vitamin Club Villa Cappelli Squatty Potty CHRIS MANHERTZ Chris had not played football until he was approached by the Buffalo Bills organization after college He was a basketball player Tried out twice for the Buffalo organization Before the second try out he tried to learn as much as he could and gain the muscle required for the position When this interview was conducted, he was with the Saints and mid-October he signed with the Panthers It has been a long journey and process to get where he is today, playing pro football just a couple years out of college He is now straight muscle, at 255, 6'6" Before this he was super lean as a basketball player His parents let him play what he wanted to play Chris eats all in moderation "If you are going to eat something you shouldn't be eating, it's all in moderation" He doesn't eat poorly too often He believes in LIL! Chris acknowledges that when he is older he can likely not eat the way he eats now Eventually, he realizes he will have to change his diet to reflect his age and lack of crazy calorie burning Football is "not a career, it's a job" Chris got a master's in sports administration, so he believes this will help him in the long run ELITE ATHLETE When Chris had to gain the extra weight to be up to par for his position, he was on a high protein diet He has no extra fat on him, just 255 lbs of muscle Hit the weight room, kept running Did combine work, worked on footwork, getting quicker and having better acceleration Chris knew if he couldn't do well at the combine, he wouldn't get drafted Football can be taught, being fast and such is not exactly the same, although it does require lots of work Combine requires running and weight lifting Combine is the first impression for an organization You trained so hard, you must show it here THE FIRST HIT Chris spent a year on the sideline, which mentally prepared him to get hit as he watched it happen all the time The day Chris got hit hard for the first time, he was mentally prepared Not just about taking the hit, also about giving the hit Every hit is like a car accident Now, if you get hit too hard or hurt your head, you get taken out MUCH better protocals to avoid brain damage