Playing lineman in the NFL is probably one of the most taxing jobs physically on the planet, and it’s
something that John Moffitt has gotten quite used to over the past 2½ years as an offensive guard.
But today, the 319-pound, 27-year-old former Wisconsin Badger is walking away with his health intact, and reportedly has his heart set on living a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.
“I would like to grow my own food for a while, lose a ton of weight, feel great. And spend time with people I love and be happy,” he was quoted as saying in this article.
Moffitt also had reportedly lost his passion for the game and didn’t want to fool his teammates any longer. Denver is considered one of the front-runners, if not the front-runner for the Super Bowl title this year, but Moffitt said that he really didn’t care much about winning it all and had other aspirations.
He also said he had no regrets about playing football and that he has full respect for those who play it, but added that he has plenty of money and didn’t want to risk his health in what he called a “dangerous” sport that is tough on families due to all the travel.
Moffitt has a girlfriend and a 5-year-old daughter in Seattle. He reportedly plans to host a podcast on topics such as philosophy and politics now.
‘So, it’s a smoother transition and I’m still young enough to start a career and my body’s healthy and I’m good. I look at it as a great start to life, you know?’ he said.
NFL Player’s Departure Part of a Growing Trend
While life in the NFL and other professional sports is oftentimes mostly about getting bigger, tougher, and stronger and faster, many players and teams are now approaching things for a more holistic point of view.
Recently, NFL superstars Tony Gonzalez and Arian Foster both revealed that they had gone vegan or are at least mostly vegan, only eating a little meat or fish when they felt they absolutely had to in order to bulk up or if their body seemed to be really craving it.
In addition, many teams have embraced yoga as part of a mind-body-spirit (and flexibility)-focused lifestyle for their players, including the Seattle Seahawks, a team that has recently vaulted near the top of the league.
For many players, the hyper-competitive and intense demands of modern professional sports are now leading them to look to alternative ways to take care of themselves and to reconnect with a more spiritual side (for instance, here’s an amazing longform story from Sports Illustrated about former NBA player Bison Dele’s decision to walk away from even more money to travel the world and play music).
In this case, it’s hard to fault Moffitt for walking away, considering he’s already made almost $2 million during his time in the NFL so far (before taxes).
Going up against monsters in the trenches of an NFL football game is hazardous enough, but perhaps the biggest demand on Moffitt and others is maintaining their hulking, unnatural physiques and weights, which require a ton of maintenance, overindulging on food calories, and absurdly intense workouts year-round that have to be difficult on the heart and other major organs.
Given Moffitt’s noble aspirations for the next phase of his life, it’s hard not to be impressed by his decision to follow his heart. His teammates might be a little disappointed, but Moffitt has the right to do what’s best for himself, ultimately, and his health.
Now, if more people in the working world decide to follow his example (when they feel it’s the right thing to do in their heart, of course), especially on Wall Street and in similar professional areas, we just might be on our way to creating the type of world we want to see.
Source:
margotbworldnews.com via
rawforbeatuy.com
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