Rex Ryan drops 100 pounds after lap-band surgery
Rex Ryan shows off his slimmer frame at Jets minicamp. (Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE)
He may be one of the most hated coaches in New England fans’ eyes, but Rex Ryan is hoping he will not be one of the heaviest coaches in the NFL anymore. The New York Jets coach told reporters Thursday that he lost 106 pounds over the last year and a half since receiving lap band surgery.
Ryan said he weighed 348 pounds back in January 2010. The high number concerned Ryan enough to convince him to undergo the weight-loss procedure, which places an adjustable band around the stomach to reduce a patient’s stomach capacity and help the patient lose weight. The procedure can be done laparoscopically and does not involve any cutting or stapling of the stomach. Ryan is being paid to endorse the procedure, but his results say it all, as Ryan reported he is now down to 242 pounds.
That number is only six pounds heavier than backup quarterback Tim Tebow‘s listed weight of 236 pounds. The coach said he used to be able to eat 12 tacos in one sitting, and since the surgery, he is down to one taco per meal. He has also incorporated exercise into his daily routine, saying he works in a 45-minute walk each day and also does some lifting.
Ryan said his family was a major factor in undergoing the procedure.
“I know how fortunate I am, but without your health, what do you really have?” Ryan told reporters. “I want to see my kids grow, I want to see their kids grow up, and all that that was important to me.”
