Ex N.Y. Giants player Mitch Petrus dies from heat stroke in Arkansas at age 32...

[HipChick]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-n-y-giants-player-mitch-petrus-dies-heat-stroke-n1031801

A 32-year-old former New York Giants offensive lineman and Super Bowl winner died of heat stroke after working outside in triple-digit temperatures in his native Arkansas, officials said Friday.

Mitch Petrus, who played three seasons in the NFL, was pronounced dead at 10:45 p.m. Thursday at Baptist Health Medical Center in North Little Rock, Pulaski County Coroner Gerone Hobbs told NBC News.

The high temperature in Little Rock on Thursday was 92 degrees, with a heat index of 103 degrees, as the city like much of the nation is struggling through a brutal — and now deadly — heat wave.

"He was working at his family shop, outside ... and suffered heat stroke," Hobbs said. "He was drinking water but not enough electrolytes."


The 6-foot-2, 350-pound Petrus did not appear to have any serious pre-existing medical condition that contributed to his heat-stroke death, according to Hobbs

[still_one]

1. No pre-existing medical conditions, but at 350lbs, 6'2", that doesn't seem particularly healthy

[marybourg]

2. Sounds like a pre-existing condition to me.

[ProudLib72]

5. I'm 6' 1.5" and 240. According to the BMI chart, I am obese

I cannot imagine adding another 110 lbs!

I don't like the way we normalize football players' unhealthy weights. Just because he as a lineman way back in the day doesn't mean it's healthy for him to be 150 lbs overweight now.

[still_one]

8. 240 is a big difference from 350

[ProudLib72]

9. Yes, it most certainly is

I don't want to sound like I'm mocking this man who just died. My point is that football players maintain very unhealthy weights, and those weights are normalized because...well, football. Someone will say that it was all muscle. I don't believe that. I distinctly remember when my cousin was on the high school football team (in TX), and his coach ordered him to gain some astronomical amount of weight. He was going to the cafeteria and loading up two trays of food. If that was for high school football, I can't imagine what it must be like in the NFL. It's just plain unhealthy.

[misanthrope]

11. I've heard other players say one thing they looked forward to about leaving the sport

is not "having to eat" all the time but it's more pronounced now than it used to be when I was that age, back in the 1980s. I've known guys who stopped with the constant calorie intake and got back to a reasonable weight quickly. I'm one of them although it took me a few years to make up my mind to do so.

The problem with some is that you get in the habit of being able to consume whatever you want and not worry about it. Imagine what and how much you could eat if you knew you were burning most of it during the course of a week, or if most of it was going to end up as muscle. If you like food, it can be fun.

I've also known other guys who couldn't shake the appetite. They end up having all kinds of issues.

[ProudLib72]

13. You've hit on the major problem: work outs that burn calories

They are burning a heck of a lot of calories during their workouts, and they are under constant supervision by a squad of trainers. Take that away but keep up the diet, and that is just a recipe for disaster. I honestly think there needs to be some sort of health counseling for retiring NFL players.

[still_one]

14. Thanks. I understood the point you were making, and it was a good one

[Brother Buzz]

6. Up forty pounds from his 2012 playing weight

[RAB910]

7. Don't underestimate the dangers of heat

healthy people can be killed by high heat.

[spanone]

10. ..and in triple-digit weather.

just asking too much of the heart. very sad.

[malaise]

3. Freaking wow

How sad

[Pacifist Patriot]

4. A friend of mine is a competitive rower and bikes 8 miles to work every day.

He was hospitalized for three days for heat stroke after working in his yard last weekend. Low to mid 90s with a heat index in the low 100s has become fairly common for my area in July. This can happen to anyone!!!

[Warren_Pointe]

12. Also played several seasons as an Arkansas Razorback.

Started as a walk-on, played several positions: tight-end, linebacker, and running back. Moved to offensive line. Drafted 16th in 5th round in 2011.

Real shame to see this happen. I live in NLR and did not think it was too bad the last few days.

RIP