Patriots linebacker Bradyn Swinson is hungry, so much so that he even cut out his favorite snacks
FOXBOROUGH — Bradyn Swinson is hungry.
The 24-year-old outside linebacker, entering his second NFL season, remade his body over the offseason, forsaking snacks and fast food — he’s even eating plantains instead of favorites such as Fruit Roll-Ups and Gushers — in the name of a slimmer physique.
“I used to snack a lot,” he confessed. “I cut down on snacks, eating candy, [and] really just looked at eating healthier.
“I never thought I’d eat plantains. Started eating plantains. More vegetables and stuff. Just laying out on the fast food.”
The result? After getting up to near 270 pounds last year (by his estimate), he’s down in the 250 range. He’s hoping that the new look will result in better on-field results.
“I got a lot stronger,” he said with a small smile. “And you know, I like looking in the mirror now. When I see myself, good looking in the mirror, it’s like, ‘You got a couple of abs right there.’
“Everything has been going well. ,Just really, just my overall speed of the game, and just really understanding the game. Just the overall power that I have behind myself now. I mean, we don’t have pads on [yet], but I’m looking forward to that, as well.”
For the 6-foot-4-inch Swinson, it’s not just about building a six-pack; he’s hungering for more playing time. The 2025 fifth-round pick out of LSU — taken 146th — had 8.5 sacks his last year in college but was cut before the start of the regular season, before he was brought back and placed on the practice squad.
It was a humbling sequence for a player with an impressive college résumé.
“It was a real eye-opener,” said Swinson, who played in three regular-season games last year. “But honestly, I needed to understand the business side. I came in not really focused, not really taking it serious. And really, that whole time when I was just on the practice squad for 13 weeks straight, it just helped me to just learn the game of football all over again.”
Swinson’s slimmer frame has drawn the notice of the coaching staff.
“He came back in shape, came back ready to go,” coach Mike Vrabel said this spring. “I think he realized what professional football is after camp, where he was and what his role was, and he realized that maybe he wants a different role.
“I think he’s been conscientious with special teams. Sometimes you get these defensive ends that come in from college that are outside linebackers, and they haven’t done a lot of special teams. That’s a critical element. We need those players to be good on special teams for us.”
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“There’s so many different ways you can look at that to our daily routine, the weight room, the diet, nutrition, all that stuff. Being all in on everything. Being consistent with that. Being consistent with our drills,” outside linebackers coach Mike Smith said.
“To me, that’s what he’s been doing this spring. His body has changed. He’s gotten stronger. It’s his second year, and I think that’s a big thing for him. He is another one who had a good spring.”
“Around the league, you just hear a lot of guys talk about what they did in the offseason and the things they wanted to do to make that Year 2 leap,“ Swinson said. “It’s always been just their diet. So that was the main thing for me.”
Swinson is part of an interesting group. He gained some special teams experience last season and will likely figure into the mix there this season. In addition, things could be falling into place nicely for him on defense. The Patriots lost K’Lavon Chaisson in free agency, Harold Landry is starting the summer on PUP, and second-round pick Gabe Jacas has yet to practice with his new teammates.
As a result, Swinson is aware he can make some gains by staying healthy and staying on the field.
“It’s just being ready for when an opportunity arises, you know?” Swinson said. “Just always being prepared. It doesn’t really matter who’s there, who’s not. It’s just more about what you’re going to do. So I really focus on what I need to do.
“We’ve got a great group of guys. You know, a lot of guys that that are hungry, and you know, I’m hungry, as well. So everybody just trying to just stay focused.”
If it all works, he’ll gladly trade snacks for sacks in 2026.
“You know, you’ve got to sacrifice,” he said. “You want to do great in this league.”
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