9 Fast-Food Orders NFL Players Can't Live Without
The players of the National Football League are some of the fittest folks in the country, but that doesn't mean they don't eat anything but lean protein, complex carbs, and vitamin-rich veggies at every meal. In fact, many current and former NFL players have a soft spot for the occasional fast-food meal or even a favorite weekly go-to order.
In fact, a few former NFL greats are so enamored of fast food they even bought restaurants, like former 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman, who bought a pair of Wingstop locations, and former Cowboys star Kris Brown, who owns more than a dozen Dunkin' locations, per Business Insider.
Here are the favorite fast-food orders of current and former NFL players that prove even the fittest among us can't resist the lure of fast food now and then.
Drew Brees – Jimmy John's Sandwiches
The 20-year NFL veteran quarterback, Drew Brees is among the ranks of football players who own fast-food chains, but in Brees' case, owning multiple Jimmy John's locations is about much more than a financial enterprise outside of football. Per AOL, the retired quarterback is a longtime fan of the chain and ate sandwiches from the chain multiple times a week while still in college.
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Joe Flacco – McDonald's Chicken McNuggets
New York Jets quarterback Joe Flacco is 6'6" and weighs in at around 245 pounds, give or take, so this is a guy who needs to take in plenty of calories just to get through the day. So it's hard to fault Flacco for indulging in an order of McDonald's Chicken McNuggets now and then, which is just what he did after signing a six-year, $52 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens in 2013, per ESPN. And a year after that, Flacco appeared in a McD's commercial for McDonald's Mighty Wings that also featured Colin Kaepernick, further confirming his love for McDonald's chicken.
Barry Church – Burger King Double-Stacker
According to Sports Casting, former NFL player Barry Church, who spent time with the Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars, had such love for the Burger King Double Stacker that he said it would be his choice if he was allowed only one fast-food order for the rest of his life. A Stacker with extra bacon and a large fries, that is.
Kyle Arrington – Chick-fil-A Sandwiches
In his prime, retired NFL player Kyle Arrington was a fit and toned force to be reckoned with, his strength coming from constant training and a regimented diet. However, as he said in a Shape Fit interview: "In the off-season, it's no holds barred." His favorite off-season eats were the sandwiches from Chick-fil-A.
Geoff Schwartz – Krispy Kreme Donuts
Geoff Schwartz, who played ball from 2008 to 2016, was 6'6" and weighed 340 pounds, so it's rather surprising how seldom he indulged in fast food in his playing days. Per an interview with First We Feast, he reported that his diet involved almost no carbs and was strictly regimented. When he did have his weekly cheat meal, he said: "It's pretty disgusting. It's not like, oh I'm gonna have a piece of bread. I've eaten an entire pizza and a carton of fried rice and Krispy Kreme donuts in one meal."
Ja'Marr Chase – Raising Cane's Fried Chicken
Ja'Marr Chase loves the fried chicken from Raising Cane's so much that the young NFL player even spent some time working at a Cane's restaurant following a Super Bowl loss in 2022, per CBS. Chase ate chicken from the chain all through his college years and still loves Raising Cane's as a pro player.
Justin Durant – Chick-fil-A Sandwiches
Justin Durant, who played professional football for a decade and served with four different teams, was a huge fan of Chick-fil-A's signature chicken sandwich.
Chad Johnson – McDonald's
Chad Johnson (a.k.a. Chad Ochocinco), who played in the NFL for many years and made it all the way to the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots, absolutely loves McDonald's. So much so that, per The New York Post, he would bring dates there, have the food delivered to clubs, and even eat McD's while actively practicing. He credited the fast food with helping him never get injured, saying: "The body needs to build a callous. How do you do that? By eating whatever you want."
Cooper Kupp – Pizza Hut Pizza, Breadsticks, and Cinnamon Sticks
According to Insider, these days L.A. Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is all about clean eating, with most of his meals consisting of farm-to-table foods only. Or sea-to-table, in some cases. But just a couple of short years ago, the star player was a fast-food fanatic, regularly eating tacos before training. And his favorite meal of all was pizza, breadsticks, and cinnamon sticks from Pizza Hut.
