Many NFL stars have shared that a defining moment on the field forced them to change how they play or approach their career. Tennessee Titans right tackle JC Latham is experiencing a similar transformation.
After feeling confident for much of the 2024 season, Latham experienced a tough reality check in a game against the Houston Texans when he gave up two sacks, including one to his former Alabama teammate Will Anderson Jr. That moment sparked a major physical transformation for Latham.
On Friday, ESPN's Titans reporter Turron Davenport revealed how Latham achieved it.
Davenport wrote: "At 6-6, 342 pounds, Latham felt like he was in really good shape after playing all 51 snaps in the Titans' 27-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. Two weeks later, he gave up two sacks against the Houston Texans."
Reflecting on that moment, Latham said, "Leading into that Houston game, I was probably my heaviest. I just felt a lot slower, and it was embarrassing for me."
It was a hard truth for the 2024 NFL draft's seventh pick. So, he dedicated himself to an offseason of serious weight loss, trimming from 370 pounds to around 337 pounds as of spring.
Latham switched to a pescatarian diet, focusing on meals like salmon, asparagus and cauliflower mash. "My stomach started shrinking and I wasn't as hungry," he said.
The Titans have moved Latham back to right tackle, his college position at Alabama, where his improved conditioning has made him look "even more athletic and comfortable," according to team reporter Jim Wyatt.