Bill Belichick has consistently demanded a lot from his players while coaching the New England Patriots, whether it was during a Super Bowl, a regular-season game, or even a training camp practice. Former Patriots running back Stevan Ridley shared his experience of Belichick’s tough coaching style shortly after being drafted. On the “Games with Names” podcast with Julian Edelman, Ridley recounted how Belichick placed him in “fat camp” due to being “overweight” for an NFL running back coming out of LSU.
Ridley explained that Belichick wanted him to reduce his weight from around 235-238 pounds to 220 pounds. “You have that meeting where you come in as a rookie, and he gives you your playing weight,” Ridley said. After stepping on the scale, he realized he needed to shed eight pounds, which he initially thought was excessive.
Despite knowing he was a larger running back, Ridley was taken aback when Belichick emphasized the importance of reaching the target weight. “I walked into his office and said, ‘Coach, I need to talk to you about this weight,’” Ridley recalled. Belichick responded with a humorous yet serious remark about the financial implications of being overweight, stating, “I think it’s only about $563 per pound per day that you’re overweight. So, it’s really up to you.”
Realizing the urgency, Ridley committed to losing the weight, and once he reached Belichick’s preferred playing weight of 220 pounds, he felt a significant improvement in his performance. “Quick as a cat, man,” he laughed, acknowledging that Belichick’s guidance was spot on.
During his four years with the Patriots, Ridley rushed for 2,817 yards, including a standout 1,263 yards in his second season, which featured 12 of his 22 career rushing touchdowns with the team. He was part of the 2014 Patriots team that famously defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, thanks to Malcolm Butler’s crucial interception. Ridley later played for the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
