Dion Dawkins loses 45 pounds

[BullBuchanan]

Interesting that he was previously upset with fans for criticizing his weight, but glad he decided to do something about it. His weight certainly looked like a problem the last several years as he was getting beat in key moments, and even looking like he was taking plays off.
 

Quote

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins is going to have a new look ahead of the 2026 NFL season.

 

Dawkins told USA TODAY's Ralphie Aversa at the 2026 ESPYs he was feeling "good" ahead of the upcoming season. The 32-year-old tackle acknowledged that was because of a key change he made for the campaign.

 

"I've told [everyone] in the world that this will be the lightest season that I ever play," Dawkins said.

Dawkins was listed as weighing 320 pounds by the Bills during the 2025 NFL season. The 6-5 tackle acknowledged he had dropped 45 pounds since his peak, though it wasn't clear whether his peak was his listed weight.

 

What was Dawkins' goal in dropping that weight?

"To play a little faster, play a little better because something is not getting us over that hump," Dawkins said. "So I want to be at the best that I could possibly be. So I said, (expletive) it, let's lose some weight."

 

Dawkins noted he was still confident in his athleticism playing at a heavier weight. Still, he thought changing things up could benefit the Bills as they seek the right combination to get the team to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994.

 

"I am fast heavy," Dawkins explained, "but I might be just a little bit faster, lighter. And that might be what Josh [Allen] needs to get us over that hump."

Of course, Dawkins also detailed that Allen hadn't yet seen him at the lighter weight.

 

"He'll probably see me and be like, 'All right, Dion, it's time to eat a little bit,'" Dawkins said. "But I would rather have that than all right Dion's time to lose a little bit. So I'd rather start super light and see how it goes."

 

The good news for the veteran tackle? First-year Bills coach Joe Brady is on board with his plan to drop weight.

"If I come in lighter, I get a couple of the touchdown passes," Dawkins joked when asked about Brady. "So we'll see."

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/bills-o-lineman-lost-45-003413717.html

[DapperCam]

He came into camp out of shape last season. This is a welcome development.

[SydneyBillsFan]

The amount of talking he does I wouldn't be surprised if he lost 25 of those pounds from his tongue.

[Augie]

 

Just imagine losing 45 lbs and still being an absolutely enormous human being.  

[billsfan89]

Glad to hear it, the Bills will need at least one more high quality season out of him. The Bills have some developmental prospects at LT (Bowry early 4th round pick this past draft and Grable developing in year 3) but with the absence of Van Denmark there's no decent proven backup at LT. So Dawkins giving the team one more high quality season at age 32 (an age where Tackles still play at or near a prime level) is a big deal. It would allow the current developmental guys an added year to marinate and keep an elite O-line elite. 

[Buffalo716]

As you get older weight will certainly impact your game more on the o line

 

If you could hold the weight and still move and he was a dancing panda bear... It just gives you more ability to anchor.. it helps absorb blows.. it really does 

 

Now 45 lb is crazy cuz I assumed even at his heaviest he was playing at 345 or 350

 

But he had the highest pass block win rate percentage in the NFL last year 

 

If he was 345 and he literally lost 45 lb and is now 300... That's definitely going to impact your game and that might be the smallest left tackle in the NFL now where he was one of the biggest 

 

There's definitely a happy medium

 

Now he also typically was gaining 20-30 lb in the off season and working it off in camp.. if he didn't gain that 30 lb and lost 15-20

 

That would basically be like being down 45 lb from his preseason weight in earlier years 

 

I think a guy like Dion 315 is where he would athletically shine 

 

Edited July 16 by Buffalo716

[ROCBillsBeliever]

He may need to start searching under the couch cushions when the big DE's come to steamroll him; might need some of those lost pounds!

[WotAGuy]

Dion: “I lost 45 pounds bro!”

Bro: “I thought the bags under your eyes looked smaller!”

[Victory Formation]

I don't care what anybody says, Dion is a great player, even last year, despite what the critics say.. I've seen him violate grown men despite being "out of shape"..

[T.E.]

Great news. I remember watching a postgame interview with him in the locker room shirtless last year and thinking, "Man, Dion's gotta be close to 4 bills."

[BUFFALOBART]

31 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

Interesting that he was previously upset with fans for criticizing his weight, but glad he decided to do something about it. His weight certainly looked like a problem the last several years as he was getting beat in key moments, and even looking like he was taking plays off.
 

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/bills-o-lineman-lost-45-003413717.html

It's about time. FAT, is 'dead wood'. 

[947]

He was probably 360lb range at his biggest playing weight. Maybe he got heavier right after the season. Hopefully losing 45lbs still keeps him at 315+.

[BigAl2526]

If I had a $1,000 for every ounce that he was over his listed weight of 320 lbs last season. . .

Edited July 16 by BigAl2526

[BillsPride12]

Props to the Schnowman. Excited to watch him play this season 

[nosejob]

IDK I wanted to keep RVD. Hope everything goes well.

[sven233]

The idea of Dion even playing at 325 last year is kind of laughable.  Big guys know that they weigh more than even what most people would guess.  If I had to guess, I bet Dion was a lot closer to 360-365 last season than 325-345.  I would bet if he lost 45lbs, he is still at 310+ today which is much better.

Edited July 17 by sven233

[MiltonWaddams]

41 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Just imagine losing 45 lbs and still being an absolutely enormous human being.  

Joe Thomas is a solid example. You’d never call him small when you see him today. He was just that damn big when he played

[pennstate10]

38 minutes ago, 947 said:

He was probably 360lb range at his biggest playing weight. Maybe he got heavier right after the season. Hopefully losing 45lbs still keeps him at 315+.

I think this is right. Although it’s hard to judge, I would guess he weighed 340-370 last yr. So if he’s starting the year at 300-325, that would seem to be a good playing weight for him. 

[NoSaint]

1 hour ago, Buffalo716 said:

As you get older weight will certainly impact your game more on the o line

 

If you could hold the weight and still move and he was a dancing panda bear... It just gives you more ability to anchor.. it helps absorb blows.. it really does 

 

Now 45 lb is crazy cuz I assumed even at his heaviest he was playing at 345 or 350

 

But he had the highest pass block win rate percentage in the NFL last year 

 

If he was 345 and he literally lost 45 lb and is now 300... That's definitely going to impact your game and that might be the smallest left tackle in the NFL now where he was one of the biggest 

 

There's definitely a happy medium

 

Now he also typically was gaining 20-30 lb in the off season and working it off in camp.. if he didn't gain that 30 lb and lost 15-20

 

That would basically be like being down 45 lb from his preseason weight in earlier years 

 

I think a guy like Dion 315 is where he would athletically shine 

 

we will see! I know you have defended the weight coming in the last few years while many of us were concerned.  This will be a big test. 
 

I think McDermott gone plus no restructure might’ve lit a fire to be his best self on the field and not his still pretty darn good but more fun self 

[buffblue]

Dion is an absolutely terrific athlete. Even as he ages, he can absolutely maintain a high level of play IF he keeps the weight under control. This is very good news