NASHVILLE – For any player, an NFL rookie camp can be a lot to digest.
It is an introduction to an NFL playbook. An NFL meeting schedule. An NFL weight room. New coaches. New trainers. New teammates. New surroundings. And all of it is presented in a relatively short period with the expectation that participants will adjust quickly.
Cornerback Roger McCreary is one who has done his best to take it all in over the last few days as one of the newest members of the Tennessee Titans.
He even has done his best to get his mind around a new nutrition plan, which he plans to put into practice.
Until gamedays this fall, that is. The second-round draft pick out of Auburn affirmed after the Titans selected him 35th overall (fifth among all cornerbacks) in the 2022 NFL Draft that he typically eats two full plates of baked beans (specifically, Bush’s Baked Beans) prior to taking the field.
Saturday, following the rookies’ second on-field session, he reaffirmed his commitment to that culinary ritual.
“I’m not giving them up – I wouldn’t say that,” McCreary said. “I’m trying to get better on my diet and everything, but I’m not giving up beans.”
It might seem foolhardy at first, but there is reason to believe that the team’s training and nutritional staff won’t necessarily discourage him in that regard.
Baked beans are a good source of fiber and plant-based protein along with other vitamins and minerals that can inhibit inflammation, all of which sounds beneficial for a professional football player. They also may support digestion and lower cholesterol.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends an average of 1 1/2 cups of legumes (baked beans typically are made with navy beans, which are a legume) as part of an average 2,000-calorie daily diet. A professional athlete such as McCreary undoubtedly requires more calories than that, which means his acceptable amount of baked beans also would be higher.
If he gets his fill on gamedays and steers clear of baked beans the rest of the week, what’s the harm? Particularly if he believes it enhances his performance.
The Titans’ defense made national headlines several years ago when multiple players, led by then-linebacker Derrick Morgan and defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, switched to a plant-based diet because they believed it helped with their performance. None of them ever expressed a devotion to baked beans, though.
McCreary did not go into detail about the dietary changes he is implementing or whether he plans to eliminate animal-based protein altogether. He was clear about his willingness to do what is needed to become an important part of a unit that finished last season 25th in pass defense and 18th in yards allowed per pass play.
“I got drafted in the second round – that don’t mean nothing,” McCreary said. “… It’s just me trying to get better.
“… I just want to show that I’m a competitor, that I’m coming here to compete and everything. Just trying to get better. I’m not at my top, so I’m going to keep working, no matter what.”
That includes adjustments to the food he uses to fuel his 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame, particularly now that he must adapt to the physical demands of the professional game.
“I’m just trying a new diet, trying to eat healthier a little bit,” McCreary said. “I’m trying to stay away from baked beans for a while.”
But not permanently.
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