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Business Insider
3 minutes ago
- Business Insider
A former NFL champion shares his daily routine to stay fit at 37 — with open water swimming and 200 grams of protein a day
When James Develin retired from the NFL in 2020 after seven seasons (and three Super Bowl wins) with the New England Patriots, it wasn't long before he started looking for the next big challenge. To stay in elite athlete shape after retirement, Develin knew he needed some structure to replace the typical training cycle of the NFL and giving him something to work toward. That meant a marathon and, most recently, a Navy SEAL-style open water swim — grueling events to inspire his multiple workouts a day. "I didn't have a season to start preparing for, so it was a little bit harder to put myself through two-a-days and three-a-days," Develin told Business Insider. As a 37-year-old father of four, Develin is conscious about retaining his strength in a sustainable way. He shared his daily routine with Business Insider — a regimen of running, swimming, and lifting, along with a high-protein diet worthy of his NFL days. From NFL training to Navy SEAL swims Less than a year after retiring from pro football, Develin took on distance running, completing his first Boston Marathon in 2021. In 2023, Develin met an even more ambitious match for his athletic aspirations when his father-in-law signed up for the Navy SEAL Foundation NYC SEAL Swim. The annual fundraiser is held honor of veterans and lives lost in the September 11, 2001 attacks. "I can run, I can lift, I can do all that stuff, but swimming was not my forte and it still isn't. It's been fun to push my own personal limits," he said. The event combines strenuous open water swimming through the turbulent waters of the Hudson with multiple rounds of push-ups and pull-ups, scenic views of the Statue of Liberty, and a race to the finish at the World Trade Center. The SEAL Swim requires grit, endurance, and discipline to complete. Develin decided to join in, despite limited swimming experience and only a month to prepare. "It's such a great patriotic event, but it's also a great test of one's physical prowess, so it checks a lot of boxes for me," Develin said. There's no secret to training for the SEAL swim besides hours and hours of work in the water, according to Develin. "I just started swimming as much as I could every single day. Through the soreness, through the rain days, the day I don't want to do it," he said. Develin, who lives on the Jersey Shore with his wife and four kids, practices in a pool as well as the nearby bay to get experience managing the unpredictability of open water. Develin works out daily for around two or three hours a day, split between shorter sessions of cardio, swimming, and weightlifting to allow him to spend time with his family, too. "I need to sweat before I can really get on with the rest of my day," he said. "I don't really feel like a day was productive unless I get some sort of workout in." Here's a typical day in his routine. Wake up around 5:30 a.m. Hydrate first thing in the morning with a tall glass of water. Supplements: Develin said he goes through phases of trying supplements to find what works, and currently takes amino acids and NAD+ which help with energy and recovery. A morning smoothie provides some protein first thing in the morning. A cardio workout is first on the agenda, typically a long run. After his workout, Develin wakes up his kids and gets them ready for the day before sitting down to breakfast of high-protein staples such as eggs. For a midday workout Develin hits the gym to lift weights for 45 minutes, sometime between 11 am and 2 p.m. Lunch is often a casual, on-the-go option like sandwiches. Often Develin fits in an evening workout to practice swimming, if he can find the time For dinner, Develin gets to sit down and "live a little" since his wife is Italian and loves to cook. The evening meal is often pasta with homemade sauce and more protein (like chicken or beef). Develin is in bed by 10:30 p.m. most nights to get a solid s even hours of sleep. In total, he aims to eat more than 200 grams of protein daily, about a gram of protein per pound of body weight, to help maintain muscle and strength. In the NFL, Develin's job was to absorb and deliver tremendous amounts of force as a fullback. "You have to go out there and be ready for impact constantly," he said. He's kept the same mindset of pushing himself ever since, aiming to stave off aging with constant movement and new challenges, even when his body is a little slower to bounce back than it used to be. "I recover eventually. It just might take a little bit longer now than it did when I was 30, but I just keep grinding," Develin said. "It's good for your endurance, it's good for your mental fortitude, and that's what works for me."
New York Times
3 minutes ago
- New York Times
Why is Vegas so high on the Patriots … but the national media isn't?
FOXBORO, Mass. — Optimism abounds here as training camp opens for the New England Patriots. A new coach and second-year quarterback have a way of doing that. Add in an easy schedule, and hope among the locals is high for what the 2025 NFL season could bring. But I was struck recently by how that doesn't seem to match the national narrative, even as BetMGM has listed the team's over/under win total at 8.5. In an episode of The Athletic Football Show earlier this month, I was similarly struck by how hosts Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman were shocked by the hopefulness of that prospective win total, suggesting a better number was around 6.5. Advertisement Then last week, our Vic Tafur listed taking the under on the Patriots' win total as one of his best preseason bets. 'We like Mike Vrabel fine,' he wrote, 'but to hear people talk this offseason, the new Patriots coach is a combination of Vince Lombardi and Bill Belichick. … Quarterback Drake Maye and the young secondary of Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III are fine, but overpaying new defensive players and bringing in (Stefon) Diggs and Shoeless Mack Hollins doesn't add up to nine wins.' Essentially, much of the national discussion comes down to this: Did a team that is 8-27 in its last 35 games really get so much better that it'll challenge that 8.5-win number this season? As the Patriots conduct their first training camp practice on Wednesday (after getting some good news on the injury front Tuesday), let's look at the reasons the Patriots are projected to at least double their win total from last season. LIVE: Mike Vrabel Press Conference 7/22: — New England Patriots (@Patriots) July 22, 2025 Even while recognizing how much the Patriots have improved both on and off the field, this is the most important place to start. Sometimes in the NFL, you're facing an uphill battle simply because of how the schedule shakes out. But the Pats are set up pretty favorably. Based on projected win totals, the Patriots have the second-easiest schedule in the NFL (only the 49ers' is easier). Based on last season's win percentage, they have the third-easiest schedule (only the 49ers' and Saints' are easier). But there's more. Individual games through an 18-week season are so variable that sports books generally don't offer odds for every single game in a season for more than just a brief moment to create headlines. But when those initial odds were posted, the Patriots were favorites in 11 of their 17 games. Advertisement So how then is the over/under only 8.5? That's because the Patriots were narrow favorites in a lot of games, like being favored by only 1.5 against the Steelers in Week 3, the Titans in Week 7 and the Jets in Week 17. Meanwhile, they're heavy underdogs in a few others, getting 8.5 points at Buffalo in Week 5 and at Baltimore in Week 16. Still, this is an easy schedule. They play the relatively weak NFC South as their NFC crossover and the AFC North as their in-conference crossover. That's in addition to a pair of easy games against the last-place finishers from the AFC South (Titans) and NFC East (Giants). Seemingly every year, there's a quarterback who takes a big leap forward in his second season. There are plenty of candidates to do it this season, including Caleb Williams, Michael Penix, Bo Nix and J.J. McCarthy. But why not Maye? The quarterback had the worst situation around him in the NFL last season and still passed the eye test with some high-level throws. If the O-line is stabilized after drafting Will Campbell (and signing Garrett Bradbury and Morgan Moses), Stefon Diggs gives them juice at wide receiver and Josh McDaniels gets more out of the offense, Maye could take a meaningful step forward. There are no definitive rankings of NFL coaching staffs considering all of the immeasurables inherent in the profession. But it's safe to assume the Patriots staff last year would have ranked 32nd in the NFL. It had inexperience across the board. Now, Vrabel brings an experienced and established group that also blends in younger coaches with time spent in a variety of schemes. Vrabel was arguably the most sought-after coach on the market this offseason for a reason. Simply going from Jerod Mayo to Vrabel is a big improvement and a reason for confidence when contemplating whether the Patriots can more than double their 2024 win total. Advertisement A roster that was devoid of talent at so many key spots last season gets a boon from highly drafted players at left tackle, running back and wide receiver, while also adding Diggs, DT Milton Williams, LB Robert Spillane and CB Carlton Davis in free agency. That's not enough to make the Patriots a Super Bowl contender, but it's a meaningful improvement over what the team had last season. Training camp will go a long way in determining how many wins I ultimately predict for the Patriots, but for now, I'm on the fence between eight and nine. While the improved roster and Vrabel's addition help, the weak schedule is the biggest reason to expect more wins. Their non-division home games are against the Browns, Raiders, Steelers, Panthers, Falcons and Giants. Even if this roster isn't one that you'd normally look at and expect nine wins out of, the schedule is soft enough that you can expect them to double last season's win total.
Indianapolis Star
an hour ago
- Indianapolis Star
25 best Indianapolis Colts since 2000
IndyStar is spending the summer looking at the best athletes from Indiana sports teams since 2000. Here is our list of the 25 best Indianapolis Colts players since 2000: Stats: 11 seasons, 176 games, 66.0%, 46,954 yards, 347 touchdowns, 155 interceptions, 97.5 passer rating Manning loses two seasons based on the timeframe but it makes no difference; he's an easy choice atop this list. Manning was named MVP four times, a six-time first-team All-Pro (and made a second team) and was a Pro Bowler for 10 seasons. Stats: 9 seasons, 130 games, 791 catches, 10,439 yards, 95 touchdowns Harrison loses four seasons — including an All-Pro year with 1,663 yards and 12 scores — due to the timeframe, so this spot is a little closer, but he's another easy choice. Harrison made seven All-Pro teams (2 first, 5 second) and seven Pro Bowls while setting the since-broken record with 143 catches in 2002. Stats: 11 seasons, 163 games, 44 forced fumbles, 107.5 sacks, 590 tackles, 113 tackles for loss Freeney made the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the league's greatest pass rushers. He led the NFL in sacks in 2004 (16) and tackles for loss (20) as a rookie in 2002, made All-Pro first team four times and second team once, as well as seven Pro Bowls. Stats: 7 seasons, 112 starts Nelson has made three All-Pro first teams and two seconds, as well as the Pro Bowl in all seven of his seasons. He's quickly establishing himself as one of the NFL's best guards of all-time and shows few signs of slowing down. Stats: 14 seasons, 211 games, 1,070 catches, 14,345 yards, 82 touchdowns After a relatively slow start to his career (1,899 yards over his first three seasons), Wayne became one of the NFL's most consistent receivers over the next nine years. He led the NFL in receiving yards in 2007 (1,510), made All-Pro three times (first once, second twice) and six Pro Bowls. Stats: 13 seasons, 188 starts The undrafted free agent became a full-time starter in his second season and only missed six games after that with the Colts. Saturday made five Pro Bowls, All-Pro first team twice and second team once. Stats: 6 seasons, 80 games, 7,673 rushing yards, 51 touchdowns, 4.2 yards per rush, 294 catches, 2,253 yards, 7 touchdowns No one takes a bigger hit for the timeframe than James, who loses a spectacular rookie season (NFL-high 1,553 rushing yards, 13 TDs, 62 catches, 586 yards, 4 TDs). He still made All-Pro second team twice and four Pro Bowls despite a knee injury the cut short his 2001 season and caused a dip in his production. Stats: 13 seasons, 192 games, 54 forced fumbles, 17 fumble recoveries, 123 sacks, 538 tackles, 108 tackles for loss Despite being a fifth-round pick, Mathis was an impact player almost immediately, hit double-digit sacks his second and third seasons, and established himself as an elite pass rusher. Mathis made All-Pro first team once and was a five-time Pro Bowler. Stats: 7 seasons, 48 games, 6 interceptions, 16 passes defended, 295 tackles, 10 tackles for loss How do you rate Sanders? He had one of the greatest three-year runs for a safety in NFL history, making first-team All-Pro twice — including being named Defensive Player of the Year— and being the key figure for the Colts' Super Bowl championship turnaround in 2006. But he played a total of 15 games with the Colts outside of those three seasons. Stats: 6 seasons, 70 games, 12 interceptions, 31 passes defended, 17 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 15 sacks, 614 tackles, 32 tackles for loss He made All-Pro his first four seasons (first team three times) before injuries ended a remarkable career. Turnovers are not supposed to be predictable, but Leonard was a remarkably consistent playmaker. If you want to bump him down the list a few spots, I won't argue, but I'll take peak over longevity. Stats: 10 seasons, 143 games, 631 catches, 9,691 yards, 53 touchdowns He quickly became a primary target of Andrew Luck when both were rookies in 2012 and carried on the tradition of Colts' receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Hilton led the NFL in receiving yards in 2016 (1,448) and made four Pro Bowls. Stats: 6 seasons, 86 games, 60.8%, 23,671 yards, 171 touchdowns, 83 interceptions, 89.5 passing rating, 1,590 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns What could have been. Luck, of course, retired at 29 due to injuries, so we will only rank him based on what he did. That, of course, was drag four teams to the playoffs, including one AFC championship game, and make four Pro Bowls. Did Luck live up to his potential? No, but he's still 12th on this list. Stats: 5 seasons, 78 games, 17 passes defended, 6 forced fumbles, 39 sacks, 342 tackles, 50 tackles for loss The Colts traded a first-round pick for the defensive tackle and have never regretted it. Buckner made first team All-Pro in 2020 and has made two Pro Bowls. If last year's injuries don't continue, he'll move up this list. Stats: 10 seasons, 154 starts Glenn started every game he appeared in, all but his 16 as a rookie right guard at left tackle, protecting Peyton Manning's blind side. He missed just 6 games in his career — all in 2003 — and returned to make three straight Pro Bowls before retiring at 30. Stats: 8 seasons, 123 games, 14 interceptions, 47 passes defended, 805 tackles, 16 tackles for loss The sixth-round pick quickly stepped into the Colts' starting lineup at safety, making two Pro Bowls in Indianapolis. Bethea had two seasons with 4 interceptions, defended at least 4 passes in all eight years with the Colts and had at least 100 tackles five times. Stats: 9 seasons, 121 starts The center started all 121 games he appeared in with the Colts before signing with the Vikings this offseason. He missed games in six of his nine seasons but made four Pro Bowls. Stats: 5 seasons, 67 games, 6,013 yards, 51 touchdowns, 4.9 yards per rush Taylor was spectacular his first two seasons, leading the NFL in yards (1,811) and touchdowns (18) in his second season (to make first team All-Pro) after rushing for 1,169 yards and 11 TDs as a rookie. He's struggled to stay healthy since but ran for 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, making his second Pro Bowl. Stats: 10 seasons, 144 starts The left tackle started all 144 games he appeared in, starting with Peyton Manning, through Andrew Luck and finishing with Philip Rivers. Castonzo never made a Pro Bowl but was an excellent left tackle for 10 seasons. Stats: 11 seasons, 150 starts An underrated member of the Peyton Manning-era Colts. The offensive lineman never made a Pro Bowl but after coming off the bench seven times as a rookie in 2001, he started every game he appeared in the rest of his career, primarily at right tackle. Stats: 9 seasons, 427 catches, 4,887 yards, 46 TDs A productive tight end, making the Pro Bowl in 2009 with 100 catches, 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns. Clark only had two other seasons over 600 yards but was a reliable target for Peyton Manning. Stats: 8 seasons, 104 starts, 17 passes defended, 12 forced fumbles, 15 fumble recoveries, 28.5 sacks, 303 tackles, 45 tackles for loss Another underrated member of the Manning-era Colts, providing consistent production on the defensive line. Brock forced as many as 4 fumbles, defended as many as 4 passes, had 6.5 sacks twice and hit double-digits in tackles for loss twice. Stats: 9 seasons, 116 games, 12 interceptions, 29 passes defensed, 712 tackles, 21 tackles for loss Undrafted and undersized (5-11, 235 pounds), Brackett was the heart of the Colts' defense during their most successful run. He topped 99 tackles five times after entering the starting lineup and had seasons with 4 interceptions, 7 passes defended, and 6 tackles for loss. Stats: 14 seasons, 336 field goals, 85.3%, 507 PATs, 96.8% Ranking kickers is hard but Vinatieri — a future Pro Football Hall of Famer and the NFL's all-time leading scorer — has to be on the list. The Colts signed him as a free agent in 2006 at the age of 34 and he'd kick until he was 47. Vinatieri only made one Pro Bowl for the Colts, leading the league in field goal percentage in 2014 at .968. Stats: 9 seasons, 295 catches, 2,729 yards, 24 TDs Doyle made two Pro Bowls despite being an undrafted free agent who didn't step into a starting role until he was 26 in 2016. He had his best season in 2017 with 80 catches for 690 yards and 4 touchdowns, but he was best known for his versatile blocking skills. Stats: 8 seasons, 118 games, 20 interceptions, 62 passes defended, 10 sacks, 594 tackles, 36 tackles for loss
