Deatrich Wise Jr
Deatrich is a footballer who has played in the NFL since 2017 as a Defensive End. He’s been vegan since the early stages of a fantastic career which has seen him become one of the most established member of the squad and a Super Bowl winner.
- Super Bowl winner
- Seven seasons in the NFL
- Career record of 135 solo tackles and 29 sacks
His first NFL game saw him record a sack. He helped the New England Patriots to the playoffs and a win against Tennessee Titans which took them to the AFC Championship game. They won the match to progress to the Super Bowl, losing to Philadelphia Eagles.
In 2018 Deatrich also helped the team to the Super Bowl, winning 13-3.
Another highlight came in 2020 when he strip sacked an opposing player and recovered the football for is first touchdown. The following year he re-signed for the Patriots in a reported $22 million deal.
In 2022 he had a celebrated year with 59 tackled and 7.5 sacks in 16 starts.
Deatrich stands at 1.98 m (6 ft 6) and weighs in at 127 kg (280 lb).
Vegan power
Deatrich has been vegan since his rookie season in 2017, although it follows a progression of thought that started long before.
“Football players experience all kinds of injuries and I’ve had a long list of them myself, so I started researching and following the studies of various herbalists and dietitians, as well as studying the diets of bodybuilders and strongmen competitors who had transitioned to a vegan lifestyle” Deatrich explains.
“I not only wanted to make sure I was always putting clean nutrition in my body, but I wanted to make sure I would feel my best each time I stepped onto the field. It didn’t take long for me to realize that a lot of the things I was eating weren’t healing my body the way I wanted to.
“I learned that the foods we often eat lead to certain diseases, and I wanted to clean up my diet for my physical recovery and overall health.”
In college, Deatrich cut our red meat and pork.
“I ate strictly chicken during my first year as a pro. However, I decided I was done with all meat products after my rookie season and haven’t looked back.”
“I made a bet with them: If I showed any deficiencies in muscle mass and lost any of my strength, I would at least go back to eating eggs. FYI… I haven’t cracked an egg since.”
Now established as a respected and experienced member of the team, Deatrich has been named as a captain, and his record speak for itself. He’s aware that all athletes need to be aware of their diet, and he makes sure he gets enough protein.
“It really isn’t as much of a challenge as you’d think, as vegans can get enough protein through various plant-based food items like beans, legumes, peas, soy products, grains, nuts, peanut butter, and more.
“My choice to go all-in with veganism was met with plenty of skepticism by team nutritionists, as well as my teammates. Confident enough in my choice, however, I made a bet with them: If I showed any deficiencies in muscle mass and lost any of my strength, I would at least go back to eating eggs. FYI… I haven’t cracked an egg since.”
While he and his team were monitoring potential drawbacks of the transition, Deatrich was also noting benefits.
“Many athletes who consume a 100% vegan diet like me report improvements in their athletic abilities, such as higher energy levels, quicker recovery times, better sleep, and fewer injuries. I’m here to tell you that’s all true!
“Almost immediately after changing my diet, not only did I come back with added muscle mass, but some of my weight training numbers improved to personal bests, and I continued to effectively produce on the defensive side of the field. Plus, I can now feel the difference when it comes to bouncing back from a rough, hard-hit game or intense workout.”
One of the most notable benefits has been one reported by a number of vegan athletes – recovery. Deatrich finds that recovery is faster, the soreness doesn’t last as long and it’s less intense.
Feeding the footballer
As a larger guy with a demanding routine, this footballer needs plenty of food. He eats up to 5000 calories in a day from five meals with smoothies and protein shakes in between.
“My diet consists of plenty of beans, pasta, chickpeas, eggplants, and mushrooms. Plus, I’ll throw in some Beyond Meat products to change things up every now and then.”
He has a long list of favourite recipes which include “stir fry, pancakes, fajitas with beans and rice, eggplant, chickpea tuna, anything with mushrooms, pastas, Chana masala, falafel, lentils, walnut meat tacos, and Buddha bowls.”
Deatrich also makes powerballs from peanut butter and chia seeds with banana and date.
It’s fantastic to see Deatrich’s research into nutrition paying off as it continues to support his fantastic career. We will continue to watch his awesome achievements as a key member of the Patriots.