Michael Phelps has said that he’s planning to retire from swimming after the Summer Olympics.
That means he’ll need to find another career path to fill his days. You might not expect it, but Phelps might have a future as a trainer for NFL players looking to add weight to their frames.
Jets linebacker Aaron Maybin lives near Phelps in Baltimore and spent some time with the swimmer this offseason to get a look at his famous 12,000 calorie a day eating regimen. Maybin wasn’t planning on consuming quite that much, but he was interested in adding some weight to his frame before the 2012 season. The idea is to get big enough to stay on the field for three downs after making an impact for the Jets as a situational pass rusher last season.
“Having a little bit of extra weight on you, it helps you deal with the ground and pound of the season and all that kind of stuff,” Maybin said, via Brian Costello of the New York Post. “It definitely gives you a better anchor when you’re playing against the run. That was a big goal of mine during the offseason, to become a better run defender as well as improve my pass rush.”
Maybin played at 229 pounds last season and hopes to be around 250 pounds this time around. With Bryan Thomas coming off an Achilles injury that cost him most of last season, the Jets could use an every-down outside linebacker but they also need Maybin’s ability to pressure quarterbacks to survive intact. Gaining weight could have an impact on that part of Maybin’s game, making the change in diet less of a sure thing for the linebacker than it is for Phelps.
We’ll find out this summer how well Maybin’s plan works out while Phelps concentrates on adding to his gold medal count in London.