JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In 2024, Josh Hines-Allen reached a new high on the scales as he entered his seventh professional year. Encouraged by the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-year defensive coordinator, Ryan Nielsen—now no longer with the team—Hines-Allen bulked up to 285 pounds. Nielsen’s offseason mantra, “mass kicks ass,” echoed throughout the team’s training practices. Although catchy, this directive had serious implications for their performance.
The strategy to gain weight backfired, as Hines-Allen and several other defensive players struggled with their additional bulk. The Jaguars’ defense ranked 31st in the NFL, conceding nearly 390 yards per game. Their defense allowed 26 points per game, which was the second-highest in the league, and they recorded only nine takeaways, the lowest in the league.
“Carrying extra weight took a toll on my body,” said Hines-Allen, reflecting on the past season. Despite not blaming his decline in performance purely on his weight gain—where he recorded only eight sacks compared to his career-best of 17.5 in 2023—Hines-Allen felt the added pounds played a role. “My body didn’t react the way I expected,” he admitted, noting that although he committed to body care, it simply felt different.
Determined not to repeat the same mistake, Hines-Allen has been careful about his weight this year, without divulging his current stats. He appears more agile and toned, a path shared by many team members. Devin Lloyd, a linebacker, has shed 15 pounds, going from 255 to 240. Meanwhile, defensive end Travon Walker has adjusted his body mass index, and veterans like Arik Armstead, Foye Oluokun, and DaVon Hamilton have also trimmed down, aiming for improved performance.
“Being lighter enhances endurance, bursts, and agility,” said Lloyd. “Running feels more natural now, and it’s easier to maintain energy over play sequences. You’re no longer exhausted after just a few plays.”
Following a disappointing 4-13 season, Jacksonville’s owner Shad Khan initiated sweeping changes. The team removed coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke. Under new leadership—general manager James Gladstone, coach Liam Coen, and executive vice president Tony Boselli—the focus shifted away from mass.
Coen believed in immediate adjustments, saying, “They put on weight for specific schemes, but reevaluating their conditions was crucial. They needed the methods they were most successful with for productivity and freshness. Better days are found when they feel energized.”
Feeling rejuvenated and fleet-footed, Hines-Allen recently clocked 20 mph during drills, confidently asserting his athleticism. With weight worries behind him, his sights are now set on maintaining health, staying on the field, achieving All-Pro status, winning Defensive Player of the Year, and breaking the franchise sack record. Currently sitting at 53 sacks, he is two shy of equaling Tony Brackens’ team record established in 2003.
“I can’t let another season be dominated by weight concerns,” Hines-Allen affirmed. “This year, I’m tuned into the weight class that empowers me—quick, decisive, and dominant in movement.”
With commitment to peak performance, his goal remains: staying in the game, grabbing a drink between sprints, and tackling each play with utmost vigor. Hines-Allen is determined to dominate and seize control of games with his reinvigorated mindset.