Now that Aaron Lynch’s suspension has reached its due date, it’s OK for him to admit why he looked like he was expecting during training camp.
The 49ers outside linebacker admitted upon his return from his drug policy suspension that he might have gained a few sympathy pounds this offseason, which he has had to work off now that he’s eligible again.
According to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, Lynch said he recently lost about 30 pounds, getting him back to his playing weight of 270 pounds. That means when he was in training camp prior to his four-game suspension, he was around 300.
“My wife got pregnant, so I was eating a lot,” Lynch said. “I wasn’t careful with my diet. I was eating whatever. And out of nowhere, my weight went up and I felt it on the field, so I had to get it down.”
In addition to losing the weight, Lynch said the arrival of his son last week should keep him more focused on staying eligible.
“I’ve taken strides to be a better person because I have a son now,” Lynch said. “So I’ve got to be a good role model.”
The 49ers hope to get Lynch back on the field Thursday night against the Cardinals, though coach Chip Kelly admitted Lynch could be limited because he hasn’t been on the field in a while. They could use him, as they have 7.0 sacks in their first four games, and Lynch had 12.5 in his first two seasons.