NFL's Joey Bosa Eats Up to 5K Calories to Add Bulk: 'Eating Isn't Really Enjoyable'

Joey Bosa has a wild diet.

In his quest to bulk up ahead of the 2023 season, the Los Angeles Chargers defensive end, who is listed at 6'5", 280 pounds on the NFL website, estimates that he ate between 4,500 to 5,000 calories per day this offseason.

"Eating isn't really enjoyable these days," Bosa said, according to ESPN's Lindsey Thiry. "It's more so just part of the job."

Bosa said he worked closely with a nutritionist and remained close to the refrigerator throughout the process "so that he could consume five to six meals per day and constantly snack," according to Thiry.

But what exactly does Bosa's diet consist of?

He makes sure to include plenty of healthy options such as fruit, red meat, chicken, fish, vegetables, chickpea pasta, pretzels, nuts, smoothies and peanut butter.

Bosa played the 2022 season at 250 pounds, according to Thiry, which was down from the 265-270 pounds he weighed during his Pro Bowl 2021 campaign. He said putting the weight back on should help him be more effective in 2023.

"I specifically tried to really eat good and put some weight on this offseason, get back to my weight I was at a few years ago, where I could really use my power," Bosa explained. "Really handle guys in the run and be more effective in that part of the game."

The 28-year-old consulted outside linebackers coach Giff Smith before moving on with the plan to gain weight, and the proposal was ultimately approved by head coach Brandon Staley.

Smith said of the process:

"When we went to this system of defense, he thought he needed to be a little bit lighter and he was dealing with some nagging injuries, so you always lose a little weight when you have some lower half injuries. He's finally healthy and he was able to add the muscle mass, good muscle mass, and he feels comfortable. And then it does expose the power. Everybody knows how gifted he is with his hands and his movement, but when you can shock [opponents] with the power, it just has another element to his game."

The 2022 season was a tough one for Bosa as he appeared in just five games due to a lingering groin ailment. He posted 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, 10 tackles, three tackles for loss and six quarterback hits in those games.

Bosa being limited was a massive disappointment given L.A.'s 10-7 finish to the season and the team's AFC wild card exit at the hands of Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Now that he's bulked up, Bosa is well-equipped to return to his Pro Bowl form, and the Bolts will be hoping he stays healthy as they aim to win a difficult AFC West for the first time since the 2009 campaign.