Mims, a wide receiver for the New York Jets, got food poisoning after eating some bad salmon during the offseason
New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims is back on the field after spending the offseason recovering from a bad case of food poisoning that caused him to drop 20 pounds.
Following Wednesday’s practice, the 23-year-old explained that he got food poisoning after eating some bad salmon last Spring and went from 217 lbs. to 197.
“It took a big toll on me,” Mims said during a post-practice press conference. “And no, I haven’t touched salmon ever since then.”
Now, Mims said he “feels good” and has since put some of the weight back on, logging at 208 lbs. He added, though, that he’s more concerned with prioritizing his general health rather than getting back to his previous weight.
“I’m not really too worried about the weight. [My coaches] are not worried about the weight,” he said. “The best thing I can do is just make sure I stay in shape and make sure I continue to lift weights so I can stay healthy.”
Mims, who is starting his second season in the NFL, is now trying to play a game of catch up after missing most of his off-season workouts. He recently joined the rest of his teammates for the remainder of the preseason training camp.
Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh told reporters that the wide receiver is “working his tail off and the harder he works, the more he puts in, the more opportunities he’s going to get,” shutting down any narratives that the coaching staff was “giving up” on Mims.
Mims also shared that he’s been getting extra reps in on the field with the quarterbacks in order to be at his best, saying he has “a lot left in the tank.”
“You can’t lose confidence in yourself in this game,” he said. “If you lose confidence in yourself, you’re not going to be a good player. And my confidence is high.”