Bill Belichick has always asked many players, coaching New England patriots, whether it's a Super Bowl, regular season games, or just training camp practice.
One former Patriot said he witnessed Belichick's tough coaching shortly after being drafted.
“I'll start with how Bill put me in fat camp,” the former Pat, who runs through Stevan Ridley, the third round pick in New England's 2011 NFL Draft, said of his “Named Games” podcast with Julian Edelman.
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The New England Patriot runs the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Vincentray (57) at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II/USA TODAY SPORTS)
Ridley said Belichick put him in “fat camp” because the NFL coming out of LSU was “overweight.”
So, how much weight did Belichick lose to Ridley?
“You're that encounter where you're coming there, you're a rookie. And he gives you your playweight. And he brings me to the office because I'll be in the weight room. [former Patriots strength coach Harold] Nash said, “Jump on the scale, Ridley,” Ridley told Edelman.
“I jumped on the scale. I'm about 235, 238 pounds. I played at LSU around 230 as a running back. 8 pounds is a lot.”
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Ridley says the patriots apparently knew they were on a bigger run, and he clearly did what should have been drafted in the third round.
However, Ridley claims that Belichick told him he had to lower his play weight to 220 pounds.
“How? I said, 'You're stumbling, you're mates,' I said, 'No,” recalls Ridley. “[Nash] He said, “Don't ask me, he'll tell me what the bossman said.''
Ridley went to Belichick's office to hear from the head coach himself.
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is currently practicing on September 18, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, file)
“I went in and said, “Coach, I need to tell you about this weight. And he said, 'What are the numbers? I really don't remember what I had.' 20 people were impossible, and he looked at me.
“I can do quick math. I'm a third round draft pick. I don't have that kind of money, so fat camp went.”
Ridley began working on his weight and paid a dividend after making Belichick preferring his favorite 220 plays.
Despite Ridley's initial thoughts, it worked for him.
“As quick as a cat, man,” he said, when Edelman asked how he felt. “It's going crazy.
The New England Patriots are facing Stephen Ridley against the Oakland Raiders at Gillette Stadium. (Winslow Townson/USA Today Sports)
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Ridley played for New England for four years and ran for 2,817 yards. This includes the 1,263 sophomore campaign during the 2012 season. Ridley was part of the 2014 Patriot team that shockedly beat the Seattle Seahawks in the 2015 Super Bowl thanks to Malcolm Butler's goal line interception.
Ridley then played for the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers after his final season of winning the Super Bowl in New England.
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