Chargers offensive lineman Mario Henderson is listed at 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds, which demonstrates just how far from reality listed weights can be. But while Henderson may never get down to 300 pounds again, through hard work this offseason he’s as light now as he’s been in a very long time.
Henderson’s weight problems really got out of control last year during the lockout, and when he showed up to Raiders camp he weighed in at 383. The Raiders cut him, he spent the 2011 season out of the NFL, and when the Chargers signed him he was almost 390.
But three months later Henderson is down to 333, a stunning drop of more than 50 pounds in three months, which he says is a result of not wanting to fail the Chargers when they gave him his second chance at the NFL.
“People say, ‘Well, you know, he got out of shape.’ OK. I understand that. I’m a man. I’m going to take full responsibility for that,” Henderson told U-T San Diego. “And at the same time, I take responsibility for losing all that weight and getting that opportunity to get looked at, to come back. Like I said, I can’t blame nobody but myself. Now, I’m working hard.”
Now that he’s getting back down toward his ideal weight, Henderson believes he can be the kind of player he was in Oakland, when he started all 16 games in 2009.
“I’m not saying I’m a great player, but I’m average, and I can play in this league,” Henderson said. “I have no one to blame but myself. I can’t blame the coaches. I can’t blame friends, family. That was all my fault.”
If Henderson is taking the blame for getting himself out of shape, he deserves credit for getting himself back into shape.