How Much Do You Have to Eat to Play in the NFL?

If you're looking for an excuse to eat as much as humanly possible on a daily basis--and really, is there a better ambition?--you might want to start getting ready for the NFL.

At least, that's what the Houston Texans' JJ Watt has led us to believe. The man is a monster out on the field, so much so that he's managed to become a superstar as a defensive end in a league that typically features offensive players as their faces and personalities; quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers typically receive the glory, while defensive players--especially linemen--grind it out in a somewhat unsung manner.

So what does he use to fuel himself? 9000 calories.

You read that correctly: 9000 calories.

What does 9000 calories break down into? 50 slices of bacon, 20 chicken breasts and 13 whole avocados.

"It's literally, if I'm not working out, I eat the whole time I'm not working out," Watt said. "It's exhausting. You have to force-feed. You have to force yourself to eat food."

So what does he eat when he wants to enjoy food, instead of trying to get chicken and broccoli to fuel his workouts?

"I love brunch," Watt said. "Brunch is my favorite meal. I went there (to his favorite brunch spot in Wisconsin), had brunch, had a massive potato pancake omelet, which is an omelet inside a potato pancake. Then I had stuffed French toast with berries and stuff. My cheat meals aren't even that exciting. That was my cheat meal. The omelet is still pretty darn healthy. The stuffed French toast was the cheat meal, but that was delicious."

I'm beginning to realize every one of my meals is a cheat meal.