The average man needs about 2,500 calories a day to maintain his weight.
Professional football players aren’t exactly average, however.
Members of the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots need about three times the calories of an average guy to have enough fuel to get through Super Bowl 53.
Football players need about 50 calories per 2.2 pounds of body weight, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
The NFL's largest players weigh more than 300 pounds. The Rams' heaviest hitters — offensive tackles Rob Havenstein and Andrew Whitworth — weigh 330 pounds each, according to the team roster. So, they would need about 7,500 calories. That's a little more than 13 Big Macs each day.
According to the Patriots' roster, New England's biggest player is offensive lineman Trent Brown, who weighs 380 pounds. He'll need 8,636 calories. That's 3½ large pepperoni pizzas.
A quarterback, on the other hand, typically "needs a minimum of 4,000 calories a day and up to 6,000 calories a day, depending on where they are in their training, in the season, and how quickly they gain or lose weight," Susan M. Kleiner, a registered dietician and nutrition consultant for the Seattle Seahawks, told the Huffington Post in 2014.
Following the NSCA guide, Rams quarterback Jared Goff, at 222 pounds, and Patriots QB Tom Brady, at 225 pounds, need about 5,050 calories each. That's nearly 54 Caesar salads, if they want to go the healthier route.
That's about the same calorie count for former UGA Bulldogs Todd Gurley — Patriots running back, 224 pounds — and Sony Michel — Rams running back, 215 pounds. Fun fact: These guys would have to eat 20 Varsity hot dogs to consume that number of calories.
Super Bowl 53 kicks off 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3 in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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