When Halapoulivaati Vaitai took his official visit to Texas Christian University, he was a 6-foot-6 offensive lineman with impressive athleticism that caught the eye of Horned Frogs coaches and recruiters.
He was also just 258 pounds.
That’s a far cry from the Super Bowl-winning 320-pound behemoth who last week agreed to a five-year, $50 million contract with the Detroit Lions.
But the weight didn’t come on easily for Vaitai.
“Did he do it easily? No, because he loves Cokes,” TCU offensive line coach Jarrett Anderson said with a laugh. “He loves soda.