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Dallas Cowboys’ Rookie Randy Gregory Is Using Whataburger To Beef Up

By Matthew Conner

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Though he was rated as the best pass rusher in the 2015 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys rookie defensive end Randy Gregory fell to the second round due in part to his lack of ideal NFL size (and also because of a failed drug test at the NFL combine). Therefore, Gregory has made a priority of gaining weight before training camp and he is relying on a Texas icon for help.

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Few landmarks are as synonymous with the Lone Star State as the Whataburger fast food chain. Their orange and white striped roofs can be seen from miles away drawing hungry patrons in like a light bulb attracts insects.

During his collegiate career at Nebraska, Gregory played at around 230 pounds, which is too slight for a defensive end in the NFL. The Cowboys want to see the rookie at 250 pounds by the time the regular season begins so that Gregory can help stop the run and be more than a one-dimensional player thus Gregory is feasting on food that are guilty pleasures to most people.

"Gregory recently told the Dallas Morning News that, “I’ve noticed I can take in a lot of different things. Canes, Whataburger… a lot of protein.” Link"

Whataburger responded with a tweet telling Gregory that they are prepared to do their part to help him beef up.

The Cowboys also have limited Gregory’s cardiovascular conditioning in order to ensure he does not burn too many calories. The Ft. Worth Star Telegram reports that Gregory is already up to 243 pounds due to a diet of four large meals per day and a late night snack. Link

In 2014, Dallas drafted another defensive end, DeMarcus Lawrence, in the second round and the hope is that the Lawrence and Gregory tandem can be bookends on the defensive line similar to the defensive end pairing of Tony Tolbert and Charles Hailey on the 1990’s Super Bowl Championship teams. However, Lawrence is only 251 pounds making it likely that either he or Gregory will be on the sideline on early downs when teams tend to rush the ball.

For comparison, one of last year’s starting defensive ends, Jeremy Mincey, weighs in at 280 pounds and newly acquired free agent defensive end Greg Hardy is listed at 279 pounds. And the fact that Hardy is facing a 10-game suspension, which is currently under appeal, means that Lawrence or Gregory will be called upon to be more than pass rush specialists.

"Cowboys’ owner and general manager Jerry Jones said of Gregory’s added weight, “I’m pleased that he’s gained the weight he’s gained. I’m going to round this off, but I’d say he’s up 15 pounds. And he doesn’t labor in any way with that 15 pounds. He can lose it — I’m envious — he can lose it as fast as anybody that you can imagine…” Link"

Gregory played high school football in Indiana and finished his college career in Nebraska where there are no Whataburger restaurants, possibly explaining why he struggled to gain weight. Now he finds himself in the middle of the city with the highest concentration of the iconic burger joints and unlike most people, he is being encouraged to enjoy the fast food offerings of Texas without feeling any guilt.

On July 28th, the Cowboys will report to Oxnard, California for training camp where there are no Whataburger or Raisin’ Canes restaurants. But it is safe to assume that Jerry Jones will make sure In-N-Out and Tommy’s Burgers are stocked and ready with all the beef Gregory can eat.

Next: A Dallas Cowboys Dark Horse Wide Receiver To Keep An Eye On

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