NFL nose tackles are among the biggest athletes in the world, but there is still such a thing as being too heavy.
Terrance Knighton, who officially signed with the New England Patriots earlier this week, reached that point last season with the Washington Redskins.
“Last year, I was obviously heavier than I am right now,” Knighton said. “I’m in a lot better shape than I was last year. Contractually, I’ll have weights that I’ll need to hit. Whatever the coaches want me to play at, that’s where I’ll be.
“I’ve worked really hard this offseason. I’ll continue to work throughout the offseason program and get acclimated to the new strength coaches and nutritionists. The way things are done in Foxboro, I’m looking forward to it, and that’s something that has been a tag on me my whole career about my weight. But it’s something that I’ve paid a lot of attention to this offseason, and it won’t be a problem.”
Knighton wouldn’t specify at what weight he played last year, but he was listed at 6-foot-3, 354 pounds. He also wouldn’t say why his weight became an issue.
“Obviously, when it becomes a factor and you’re playing football, your performance on the field is something you have to pay attention to,” Knighton said. “I have a lot of football left, and I don’t want anything to hinder me from that.
“I put last season behind me. I’m happy about being in New England, working with a great strength coach and a nutritionist I had a long talk with on my visit. I’m looking forward to putting a plan together that they have for me and executing it, having a new start and refreshing my career.”
Knighton had 29 tackles and 1.5 sacks despite the weight issues in Washington.
His contract details with the Patriots were reported Wednesday by ESPN.com. He signed a one-year deal with a $900,000 base salary, $250,000 signing bonus, $500,000 roster bonus, $100,000 workout bonus, and he can earn $300,000 in incentives. At least part of those incentives are likely a weight clause. He’ll count $2.018 million against the Patriots’ 2016 salary cap.
Thumbnail photo via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports Images
