The current football players look so big that it is unhealthy. ESPN did a story about this - all the problems with heart disease, diabetes, etc. that these guys are going to have from being so artificially big. Plus, you never see a lineman anymore without giant knee braces. The joints were just not designed to hold up this much weight. The sad thing is that I think these guys have to be this big to have any chance to play. Its almost like doping and probably close to as unhealthy.
A quick check of last year’s U of Michigan roster shows 17 players listed as offensive linemen with an AVERAGE weight of 294. Strangely, 7 of 17 players have their weight listed as exactly 299. Two players are given weights over 300. I am only picking on UM because that’s where I went to school. I cannot believe it is significantly different at the 60 or so other big time football schools.
I really, really hope the value of the athletic scholarship is worth the health problems these men will face for the rest of their (shortened) adult lives.