Mucky Tundra
9 years ago

GREEN BAY — After a five-sack season and playing in all 16 games for the first time in his career in 2013 — leading to a two-year, $8 million contract this offseason — it's clear Mike Neal has a future in the NFL.

But if the Green Bay Packers outside linebacker/defensive end is looking for another business opportunity, perhaps he could help the rest of us normal humans in the weight-loss department.

A year after showing up at camp having lost 20 pounds in order to play that hybrid linebacker/lineman position, Neal is back for camp having shed more weight. He said Monday he's at 263 pounds, which is 31 pounds lighter than the 294 pounds he was listed at as a rookie second-round pick from Purdue in 2010.

In fact, the 27-year-old Neal said Monday that he hasn't been this light since he was, well, just a kid.

"I can be honest with you. I can't remember the last time I stepped on the scale and seen that since I was going to college," he said.

While Neal has yet to practice because of a lingering abdominal muscle injury that landed him on the physically unable to perform list to start camp, the reason he shed more weight was his desire to get faster this season. Neal, who was listed at 285 pounds last season on the roster, said he trained with Jason Riley at the Performance Compund in Tampa, Fla., as he has every offseason since preparing there for the draft in 2010.

"For me, I think naturally what you're seeing now is probably naturally where my body is at," Neal said. "When you get to college, what's the one thing they preach? We have to get you bigger. We have to get you bigger.

"Now my body is just kind of settling around 270 where it's probably naturally built that."

Neal acknowledged last season that some of his injury problems early in his career might be caused by him carrying more weight than his body was designed to carry. Perhaps this extreme weight loss makeover will even further extend his career.

For now, though, he just wants to start practicing, which could happen later this week.

"It's hard for me to wake up every single day and come to work and be happy when I can't go on the field. This is what you do. This is your livelihood," Neal said. "This is how you put food on the table. I know it sounds cliché but I'm a competitor. I get goose bumps talking about it. I'm kind of pissed about it, but what can you do? I've been through this."

Jason Wilde  wrote:


yooperfan
9 years ago
Let's hope he gets healthy, stays healthy, and pays off in a big way this year.
DarkaneRules
9 years ago
I like how he has committed to his role and gotten down to a better weight to perform his duties. He has had trouble in his abdomin for quite some time. I hope he can get past that.
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Zero2Cool (6h) : Chase Young to sign $13M contract with Saints
Zero2Cool (6h) : Yosh to Panthers what noooo. Wait he didn't do crap
wpr (18-Mar) : I say that he is technically HER BIL as he married her sister. I checked it out, he's considered my BIL as well. Sad.
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : wpr, I assume its your BIL via marriage to your wife? If so, I can figure out where the smarts in the family went ;)
wpr (18-Mar) : Mucky my B-I-L is Bare Stupid. I could write a book.
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : As a teenager in Rockford IL I would get heckled by adults in public for wearing GB gear
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : if you think the online ones are bad, try *living amongst* them
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : Never doubt wprs loyalty. Poor guy is surrounded by Bears fans in Northern IL
wpr (17-Mar) : pass Martha. Thanks for the invite though.
Martha Careful (17-Mar) : blog * as the same ugly Illinois colors were adopted by the Baer
Martha Careful (17-Mar) : WPR, perhaps you should be joining the Bears fans blog has the same ugly Illinois colors were adopted by the Bears
Mucky Tundra (17-Mar) : Ah a fellow U of Illinois hater. I can respect that though I imagine it's for different reasons
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : BTW. I didn't catch the game. I just hate Illinois.
Mucky Tundra (17-Mar) : They're your Big Ten Chumps and you will like it!
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : No, not for the record. Referee's handled that BS. Orange team was trash ass
Mucky Tundra (17-Mar) : *Your* Big Ten Chumps for the record
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : No, not Big Ten Champs. IL is big ten CHUMPS
wpr (17-Mar) : Big Ten Champs
wpr (17-Mar) : !!!
wpr (17-Mar) : INI
wpr (17-Mar) : ILL
Martha Careful (17-Mar) : Wisconsin with an outstanding on in the men’s Big Ten basketball tournament. Let’s hope it continues in the NCAAs
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : Almost like taking QB in 2020 even if you don't need one is good move.
Mucky Tundra (16-Mar) : 2021 QB Draft class looking like a real clunker
Mucky Tundra (16-Mar) : A conditional 6th rounder? I remember Bears fans arguing they'd get a day 2 pick at worst lol
dfosterf (16-Mar) : So I got the no extension part right and the have to wait on the CW physical wrong
Zero2Cool (16-Mar) : Bears are trading Justin Fields for a 2025 6th-round pick that goes to a 4th-round pick based on playtime, per sources.
Zero2Cool (16-Mar) : Former Packer Jarrett Bush opens Wisconsin’s first blow dry bar in Green Bay
dfosterf (16-Mar) : If the Bears are not doing a deal with Washington, they also cannot trade Fields until Williams physical with them. All hail Caleb Williams!
dfosterf (16-Mar) : The talent is undeniable, but the (advertised) haul is obscene.
dfosterf (16-Mar) : If the Bears are cutting a deal with the Commanders, in either scenario, cannot happen until williams passes a Commanders physical
dfosterf (16-Mar) : My guess is no to the Fields extension, but yes to the trade back with the Commanders.
dhazer (15-Mar) : I think the Bears do a Love extension and they will trade out of the 1st pick and take the haul
Martha Careful (15-Mar) : that might make sense
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Justin Fields to Steelers?
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Kenny Pickett. Eagles. Done.
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : They can claim best two WR tandem.
Mucky Tundra (15-Mar) : Aaron Donald retiring
dhazer (15-Mar) : Campbell signing with 49ers
dhazer (15-Mar) : I love how the Bear Fans are now claiming they have the best skill players in the NFC North lol
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Vikings made a move to get a 2nd first round pick
Mucky Tundra (15-Mar) : That's a not a bad deal for the Bears
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Bears have traded for WR Keenan Allen sending Chargers a fourth rounder.
Martha Careful (15-Mar) : *signs
Martha Careful (14-Mar) : MLB Devon White science with the Eagles
Mucky Tundra (14-Mar) : But that was before FA started
Mucky Tundra (14-Mar) : Dhaze, I thought Kurls would be their #1 target when I read that he was an Amos comp (jack of all trades guy)
dhazer (14-Mar) : I would like to see the Packers target 2 more FA still available Kamren Curl Safety and Chase Young edge
Martha Careful (14-Mar) : wow...didn't see that coming
Zero2Cool (14-Mar) : AJ Dillon re-signing with Packers.
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