Buffalo Bills running back Karlos Williams reported to minicamp overweight this week, prompting the team to hold him out of practices.
This type of situation is not particularly uncommon this time of year. Some players report in better condition than others. But Williams' explanation for why he had gained weight was as original as it gets.
When asked what injury has held him back this spring, Williams replied, "The injury of pregnancy I'd say."
"Nothing really, just pretty much just trying to make sure pregnancy went well for my fiancée but since that's over with, she knows what time it is; it's football time again," Williams explained, according to ESPN.com. "So getting back in football shape and getting ready for training camp."
A reporter commented this might be the first time pregnancy was cited as an issue for a football player.
"It definitely is a first, but I like to eat and then her being pregnant gave me an excuse to eat, so eating anything and everything," he said. "She'd wake up, one or two o'clock, 'I want a snack.' Well, I'm not going to sit here and watch you eat because I don't want you to feel bad, but it's back to football.
"She's getting back to working out herself so (we're) kind of motivating each other, feed off each other's energy, and we're getting ready for camp."
Bills coach Rex Ryan told reporters Tuesday that Williams is "obviously not anywhere close to where he needs to be to play at a high level."
I know Williams has a responsibility to come to camp in shape like the rest of his teammates, but as far as excuses go, this one is pretty solid. As someone who knows what it's like living with a pregnant woman, I can attest that the struggle is real.
You try going through an In-N-Out drive-thru without ordering a Double Double for yourself. It's a test of willpower engineered by Beelzebub himself.