Richie Incognito is retiring on top.
The Buffalo Bills' guard says he won't defend his title from last year in center Eric Wood's Thanksgiving weight gain competition, which is entering its third year.
"I'm out," Incognito confirmed Wednesday. "I gained too much weight last year."
That would be an impressive 15 pounds – although controversy was afoot.
Weight spiking (@68INCOGNITO) thru water chugging is frowned upon.. it's a gentlemens game
— Eric Wood (@EWood70) November 23, 2016
"Winning is winning," Incognito said. "It's a straight weight contest. There were no rules. They said come, weigh in, gain as much weight as you can. I won, and everybody was sore because I beat their (expletive).
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"Wood's just upset because I went into his house and dominated him at his at his own game."
So what will Incognito be doing for Thanksgiving if he's out on the challenge?
"Going to Wood's house and beating him in other games," he said.
Of course, not everyone is convinced that Incognito will be able to bow out so easily.
"He can't shy away from competition. He says that now, but he'll be in there," said fellow competitor Garrison Sanborn.
Wood and Incognito have about 70 or 80 pounds, so Sanborn has lobbied for a percentage of weight gained to determine the winner.
So what's his strategy?
"I was just thinking about that on the walk to the locker room," he said. "Do you eat a lot in the morning to stretch out the stomach and get ready to cram as much as you can in there, or you don't eat a lot and weigh in light? I've got to figure that out."
What's the go-to food when you're trying to pack on pounds?
"Everything," he said. "You get sick of one thing, move on to the next one."
If you think you've got an appetite to match NFL linemen, Wood is inviting you to take part in the challenge.
Tomorrow will be the Third Annual Thanksgiving Day Weight Gain Competition. I challenge all of my followers to post pics of weigh in/ out
— Eric Wood (@EWood70) November 23, 2016
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
