Interesting Buffalo News article on Dawkins

[Toledo Bill]

I have been very critical of Dion Dawkins  due to what looks like a heavier, out of shape player. I have also questioned his commitment to being a serious top level player.

I was really happy to read today’s article discussing his weight loss and commitment to having a great year.

Was this a “fluff” piece or something to be appreciative of?

Not sure, but I want to give him the benefit of the doubt,,, a good year from Dion could have a huge impact on our season .

[oldmanfan]

Was just going to start something about this.  I don't think it's a puff piece; Gaughin doesn't do those.  Sounds like he's working hard on diet and such to have a good year this year.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

'Maddy and Dion Visit Paula's Donuts' qualifies as a puff piece.

[BillsDad51]

Wow. He weighed 370 in off-season before losing 40 pounds by July.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

24 minutes ago, Toledo Bill said:

I have been very critical of Dion Dawkins  due to what looks like a heavier, out of shape player. I have also questioned his commitment to being a serious top level player.

I was really happy to read today’s article discussing his weight loss and commitment to having a great year.

Was this a “fluff” piece or something to be appreciative of?

Not sure, but I want to give him the benefit of the doubt,,, a good year from Dion could have a huge impact on our season .

 

 

 

Mark Gaughan: Dion Dawkins feels fit, trim, and he's ready to make Bills' haters eat their words

 

Dawkins had lost 40 pounds earlier in the offseason. He has been strictly following an eating regimen laid out by the team for the past six months, since the start of March. He’s in great shape and ready for the start of his seventh season.

 

He gained an added 40 pounds from his 330-pound playing weight during late January and February.

 

“I was like 370 by the start of March,” Dawkins said. “I was kinda binging as comfort. Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner. It caught up quick.”

Dawkins met with Will Greenberg, the Bills’ assistant strength and conditioning coach and performance development coach.

 

“I started drinking a ton of water,” Dawkins said. “I would drink 100 ounces of water before I would eat anything, before I would put any food into my body. Every day. Then I was doing two Chipotle salads a day, like 600 to 800 calories a day. That’s it. If I needed a pick-me-up, I’d have a protein bar for 200 calories.”

[Warriorspikes51]

hahahaha maybe Dion reads the boards

[eball]

Well, we all knew he looked fat.  Glad to hear he is committed to being in shape.  He had a “down” year last season and we need him to be an above average LT again.

 

[Alphadawg7]

Love this piece and the insight!  I feel like this team has a chip on its shoulder now rather than the media darlings they were entering last year, and I like that and think it’s a good thing.  

Edited September 7, 2023 by Alphadawg7

[BillsPride12]

The Schnowman is melting 

[Fan in Chicago]

10 minutes ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

 

 

 

Mark Gaughan: Dion Dawkins feels fit, trim, and he's ready to make Bills' haters eat their words

 

Dawkins had lost 40 pounds earlier in the offseason. He has been strictly following an eating regimen laid out by the team for the past six months, since the start of March. He’s in great shape and ready for the start of his seventh season.

 

”

This is excellent news to start the morning. The loss of weight is an indication of his commitment - both mind and body have to be in concert. The team really needs him to play well. 

[Dan in Owego]

Hope he can keep these habits into the future, and by that I mean well beyond his playing career to many stories about players really ballooning after retirement.

 

Any one remember the cowboys player who put on well over 100 pounds after retirement? His name escapes me at the moment.

[Chandler#81]

Personally, I don’t hold out much hope he’ll ever be dominant. Too interested in being a goof off and never really serious about health and commitment to excellence. He entered the League as a ‘good’ LT, which in its own right puts him above the pack. But -until this dramatic weight loss, he’s never really striven to excel. 
jmo, but depending how the season shakes out, LT should be high on our Draft board next April.

 

🤷‍♂️

[NoHuddleKelly12]

35 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

'Maddy and Dion Visit Paula's Donuts' qualifies as a puff piece.

Now I can’t get puff pastries out of my mind, thanks for that! 😬

[LabattBlue]

You know what he has a commitment to?  A nice big $$$ contract…and he is only two seasons away from one last big contract. 

[Warriorspikes51]

He can be a top 10 LT any given game.   Hopefully he's focused and motivated enough to achieve those results and play with a mean streak.
 

We could sure use an All-Pro type season from him.  Perhaps his performance will also motivate Spencer Brown 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

At 370, perhaps he was trying to get drafted ahead of Tre' White at goalie.  370 lbs. fills up a LOT of net. 🤔

[boyst]

i honestly don't understand how these NFL players are not able to stay under a diet regime, especially during the season. they have individual meals for them daily, vitamins per pplayer, an entire nutrition program and they can follow it in the offseason.

 

hell, college programs do this for their players year round - it's amazing nfl players/teams don't do this.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

3 minutes ago, boyst said:

i honestly don't understand how these NFL players are not able to stay under a diet regime, especially during the season. they have individual meals for them daily, vitamins per pplayer, an entire nutrition program and they can follow it in the offseason.

 

hell, college programs do this for their players year round - it's amazing nfl players/teams don't do this.

you're a farmer.

 

ever hear the phrase "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink?"

 

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

4 minutes ago, boyst said:

i honestly don't understand how these NFL players are not able to stay under a diet regime, especially during the season. they have individual meals for them daily, vitamins per pplayer, an entire nutrition program and they can follow it in the offseason.

 

hell, college programs do this for their players year round - it's amazing nfl players/teams don't do this.

 

I think he said that it was after the season where things got crazy for him.

[4BillsintheBurgh]

7 minutes ago, boyst said:

i honestly don't understand how these NFL players are not able to stay under a diet regime, especially during the season. they have individual meals for them daily, vitamins per pplayer, an entire nutrition program and they can follow it in the offseason.

 

hell, college programs do this for their players year round - it's amazing nfl players/teams don't do this.

Ya gotta wanna, from a player standpoint

Edited September 7, 2023 by 4BillsintheBurgh

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

1 hour ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

 

 

 

Mark Gaughan: Dion Dawkins feels fit, trim, and he's ready to make Bills' haters eat their words

 

Dawkins had lost 40 pounds earlier in the offseason. He has been strictly following an eating regimen laid out by the team for the past six months, since the start of March. He’s in great shape and ready for the start of his seventh season.

 

He gained an added 40 pounds from his 330-pound playing weight during late January and February.

 

“I was like 370 by the start of March,” Dawkins said. “I was kinda binging as comfort. Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner. It caught up quick.”

Dawkins met with Will Greenberg, the Bills’ assistant strength and conditioning coach and performance development coach.

 

“I started drinking a ton of water,” Dawkins said. “I would drink 100 ounces of water before I would eat anything, before I would put any food into my body. Every day. Then I was doing two Chipotle salads a day, like 600 to 800 calories a day. That’s it. If I needed a pick-me-up, I’d have a protein bar for 200 calories.”

 

He looks big there - he used to often just look big in the middle.  

[boyst]

14 minutes ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

you're a farmer.

 

ever hear the phrase "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink?"

 

touche.

[Airseven]

That kind of weight fluctuation, and obviously his need to lose that much weight, isn’t good. At least not in a football sense. Good for him personally, but I expect another struggle this season.

[Coach Tuesday]

Lol so the guy lards up for two months to start the offseason and has to scramble to lose weight during OTAs and that’s a “positive” showing of his “commitment to excellence”?

 

Do not restructure or extend this man’s contract, Beane.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Coach Tuesday

[Franco_92]

4 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Lol so the guy lards up for two months to start the offseason and has to scramble to lose weight during OTCs and that’s a “positive” showing of his “commitment to excellence”?

 

Do not restructure or extend this man’s contract, Beane.

Yeah I'm not impressed by that at all. 40 lbs in 2 months is insane to gain. 

 

It's honestly scary for him, I feel like OL usually struggle to stay UP at their playing weight 

[Warriorspikes51]

8 minutes ago, Airseven said:

That kind of weight fluctuation, and obviously his need to lose that much weight, isn’t good. At least not in a football sense. Good for him personally, but I expect another struggle this season.

Yes, I'm sure you know more than the coaching staff strength, conditioning, nutrition people....who specifically put him on a plan to lose the weight   FOR FOOTBALL

[boyst]

5 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Lol so the guy lards up for two months to start the offseason and has to scramble to lose weight during OTCs and that’s a “positive” showing of his “commitment to excellence”?

 

Do not restructure or extend this man’s contract, Beane.

dawkins strikes me like feliciano did or eric wood. they are successful nfl lineman but they aren't hungry, they aren't committed. they're not nitty gritty hard nosed OL. saffold was when he was younger, levitre, too. guys who bring their lunch to work and want to keep working. who put in the commitment to the task because that is just who they are.  that's what an OL is.

[LabattBlue]

Just now, Warriorspikes51 said:

Yes, I'm sure you know more than the coaching staff strength, conditioning, nutrition people....who specifically put him on a plan to lose the weight   FOR FOOTBALL

So they put him on a plan to binge eat his way to adding 40 pounds, and then become a spokesman for weight watchers?

[Warriorspikes51]

Just now, LabattBlue said:

So they put him on a plan to binge eat his way to adding 40 pounds, and then become a spokesman for weight watchers?

 

No, clearly he had his own idea of what to eat for a few months

[nucci]

Not sure what is interesting about this? He's fat and out of shape

[Warriorspikes51]

Just now, nucci said:

Not sure what is interesting about this? He's fat and out of shape

 

I'm not a huge Dion fan, but he made the effort it took to lose those 40 pounds.   

[Rico]

1 hour ago, BillsDad51 said:

Wow. He weighed 370 in off-season before losing 40 pounds by July.

I hope he gets a ring this year before he leaves town.

[Dave_Bills]

13 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

 

I'm not a huge Dion fan, but he made the effort it took to lose those 40 pounds.   

Sure but that should be the absolute minimum. I have higher expectations given his contract and his role as a leader on the team

[RangerDave]

2 hours ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

Then I was doing two Chipotle salads a day, like 600 to 800 calories a day. That’s it. If I needed a pick-me-up, I’d have a protein bar for 200 calories.”

I applaud his renewed commitment to his weight issue.    But what about strength training?  This diet doesn't seem like it has enough of the right calories to build, or even maintain, muscle.

Edited September 7, 2023 by RangerDave
Excess words....

[Sierra Foothills]

1 hour ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

hahahaha maybe Dion reads the boards

 

From the piece:

 

"Still, Dawkins can’t block out all the heat he sees the team taking when the season ends in a disappointing way.

“We’re human man,” he said. “Of course, you hear it. Everybody sucks. We need a whole new team. I’m a respectful guy. Some people are full of it. We put our all in this. I’m starving in the offseason for myself and for y’all. So the fact you’ve got anything negative to say about anybody is horrible. But it’s cool. I’m going to just do better.”

 

Also some interesting testimony:

 

"He is nimble and powerful. Every once in awhile, he can be seen doing a cartwheel at practice, definitely an uncommon sight for a 330-pounder.

“Everybody knows he’s a freak athlete,” said Bills right tackle Spencer Brown. “It’s hard to explain how athletic he is. I’ve never seen such a big man be able to move and be explosive and fast-twitch as he is. ... He will stand on his head before practice. I’m like, I don’t know how much you weigh, dude, but that’s a big body doing that.”

 

 

[Mango]

2 hours ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

 

 

 

Mark Gaughan: Dion Dawkins feels fit, trim, and he's ready to make Bills' haters eat their words

 

Dawkins had lost 40 pounds earlier in the offseason. He has been strictly following an eating regimen laid out by the team for the past six months, since the start of March. He’s in great shape and ready for the start of his seventh season.

 

He gained an added 40 pounds from his 330-pound playing weight during late January and February.

 

“I was like 370 by the start of March,” Dawkins said. “I was kinda binging as comfort. Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner. It caught up quick.”

Dawkins met with Will Greenberg, the Bills’ assistant strength and conditioning coach and performance development coach.

 

“I started drinking a ton of water,” Dawkins said. “I would drink 100 ounces of water before I would eat anything, before I would put any food into my body. Every day. Then I was doing two Chipotle salads a day, like 600 to 800 calories a day. That’s it. If I needed a pick-me-up, I’d have a protein bar for 200 calories.”

This is crazy and a really bad plan to approach his weight issues. 
 

This  might actually makes me more skeptical of him this season not less. A crazy crash diet like that by a tenured professional athlete with all the resources in the world to get a chef and registered dietician is really irresponsible. 
 

He’s going to continue to struggle with his weight.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

11 minutes ago, RangerDave said:

I applaud his renewed commitment to his weight issue.    But what about strength training?  This diet doesn't seem like it has enough of the right calories to build, or even maintain, muscle.

I applaud his renewed commitment to his weight issue.    But what about strength training?  This diet doesn't seem like it has enough of the right calories to build, or even maintain, muscle.

I applaud his renewed commitment to his weight issue.    But what about strength training?  This diet doesn't seem like it has enough of the right calories to build, or even maintain, muscle.

Say my name three times 

 

I saw nothing in the article related to to the strength part of his conditioning, only diet.  but I also have no idea what they do inside the facility and it would seem he would get some kind of strength conditioning during practice? I personally only care about how he preforms on the field. he seems motivated as they all will need to be going in to and remaining as such throughout the season.

10 minutes ago, Mango said:

This is crazy and a really bad plan to approach his weight issues. 
 

This  might actually makes me more skeptical of him this season not less. A crazy crash diet like that by a tenured professional athlete with all the resources in the world to get a chef and registered dietician is really irresponsible. 
 

He’s going to continue to struggle with his weight.

I agree, it doesn't seem a healthy approach. who knows, it may of been a step to get to that weight and he continues to work with the strength and conditioning coaches as well as maintain a healthy diet?

[Mango]

4 minutes ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

Say my name three times 

 

I saw nothing in the article related to to the strength part of his conditioning, only diet.  but I also have no idea what they do inside the facility and it would seem he would get some kind of strength conditioning during practice? I personally only care about how he preforms on the field. he seems motivated as they all will need to be going in to and remaining as such throughout the season.

I agree, it doesn't seem a healthy approach. who knows, it may of been a step to get to that weight and he continues to work with the strength and conditioning coaches as well as maintain a healthy diet?

As somebody who had to weigh in for my post collegiate sports career there’s no way he got months of meaningful offseason work in on that diet. He’s either lying, or this is what he did without much physical activity. 
 

That sort of caloric intake on a 6’5 person over the course of weeks can do long term damage to his organs as well. 
 

It sounds like he called somebody on the S&C team and this was the outcome. Chipotle twice per day and a couple gallons of water. I really hope this was not signed off on by somebody on the Bills staff. This is wildly irresponsible of a professional. But honestly, the NFL doesn’t necessarily attract the best physiologists and dietitians on the planet so it’s not hugely surprisingly. 
 

If somebody on the S&C came up with or approved this I would very seriously consider letting them go. The USOC would let somebody go for this kind of advice.

[ddaryl]

2 hours ago, BillsDad51 said:

Wow. He weighed 370 in off-season before losing 40 pounds by July.

how does a multi million $$$$ player, at a premiere postition, let themselves goto ***** in the offseason. Then Offseason workouts start and he relilzes he needs to change his diet and get his fat ass into gear.

How do you not see and feel yourself getting fatter and slower and then decide to make panic adjustments you need to make after the fact???

I definitely do not view Dawkins as well as I use to....  The offseason routine is part of the job...

[Airseven]

1 hour ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

Yes, I'm sure you know more than the coaching staff strength, conditioning, nutrition people....who specifically put him on a plan to lose the weight   FOR FOOTBALL

Exactly. They’ve resorted to these measures to get a 29 year old vet on a rich deal into some kind of football form. It’s more likely age, injuries, metabolism, etc. have caught him for good at least athletically.