TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Vita Vea may have lost some weight, but he certainly hasn’t lost his sense of humor. The Bucs star defensive tackle snuck in a question about himself to head coach Todd Bowles, asking, “What do you think of the strides Vita Vea is making?”
“When he does stride, I mean, since he’s lost some weight now, he’s gotten kind of cute, wearing his clothes smaller and trying to be a playboy other than a football player, so we got to get him back to playing football,” Bowles said jokingly.
All jokes aside, Vea has lost a significant amount of weight. While he hasn’t shared an exact number, he credits former Bucs defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh for helping him transform his body. The two worked out together this past offseason.
“I think it was helpful for me having Ndamukong Suh, someone like him who’s played 13 years, and him knowing how to be a pro and learning from him and working with the people he’s worked with,” Vea said. “Knowing that obviously, they know what they’re doing, and they helped him his whole career. [It was] just really good insight from him and the people he’s introduced me [to] and connected me with. It [will be] pretty exciting to see where I’ll take it from here.”
Vea says he and Suh keep in contact throughout the regular season. The 13-year NFL vet has become like a mentor to Vea.
“We still keep in contact, whether it’s just joking around or if it’s me having a question about anything. He’s always there for me, which I appreciate. We still keep in contact. If I have questions about the game or stuff about life itself, he’s always there, like a mentor for me,” Vea said.
Vea recently said on a podcast that his goal this season is to record double-digit sacks. It’s a lofty mark considering his career high is 6.5 but maybe this weight loss will allow him to get after the quarterback a little more.
