Bills offensive lineman Mike Jasper visited elementary school students in Orchard Park, New York, this week to talk about the importance of healthy eating choices, and they couldn’t have asked for a better spokesperson. Jasper knows more than most about the effects of dietary choices, and weight management.
“It was such a great event,” said Jasper, who also got the kids up and moving with some exercise contests at Eggert Elementary School. “I hope that the students listened to what I had to say and can apply it to their lives. Eating healthy and exercising really makes all the difference. There’s so many ways to go out and exercise – especially with the weather we’ve been having in Buffalo! From what I understand 75 degrees in March is unreal!”
Jasper had the unique honor of being the heaviest player drafted in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played for tiny Bethel University in Tennessee, where he tipped the scales at close to 450 pounds in his senior season. He played both offensive guard and defensive tackle. The Bills’ scouts told him if he could get down below 400 pounds, they would draft him.
Jasper dropped 70 pounds and was drafted by the Bills in the seventh round. He came to training camp at around 370, and although he started the season on the practice squad, he was promoted to the active roster in December. He has quickly become a fan favorite, as a gentle giant with a great personality.
He isn’t just a big man, but he had some tremendous athletic ability for player his size (6-foot-4, 370 pounds). The video below, from his off season training regimen where he dropped the 70 pounds, highlights him showing off a 33-inch vertical leap, slam dunking a basketball, and pounding out 225 bench presses as if the bar was made of balsa wood.
“When you live a healthy lifestyle it makes it so much easier to get out of bed in the morning and you feel better,” said Jasper. “I just hope that I could have helped at least one student. I understand that sometimes students can hear the same thing from their teachers and an NFL Player and their reaction is totally different so it’s important for me and my teammates to be out in the community stressing the importance of healthy living.”
The event was co-sponsored by Tops Friendly Markets, who appreciated Jasper’s involvement. “Mike Jasper was great – the kids loved him,” said Tops Community Outreach Coordinator Lindsey Zaffarano. “He brought a lot of good energy and a lot of good insights on how he lost his weight.”
Jasper clearly connected with the kinds. “I want to give a big shout out to Rachel at Eggert Elementary for beating out all of the boys in the push-up contest,” said Jasper. “She rocked it!”
