New Orleans Saints safety J.T. Gray, now in his sixth season with the team, maintains a consistent approach to his preparation. To stay focused, Gray diligently monitors his nutrition and seeks advice from veteran teammates in the locker room.
Gray spoke with rolling out about preparation, things that people should eat to stay in shape and the teammate that changed the trajectory of his career.
How does it feel going up against the Atlanta Falcons?
That’s an intense environment every time. Even the fans feel like they’re out on the field playing and it brings the energy to the guys, and we just transfer it onto the field.
How do you get prepared for the season?
I lock in by training, making sure I have the right nutrition, keeping my mind sane. Those are the most important things that I set for my foundation to continue to go and approach every season.
What are some nutrition tips that you would give to people looking to stay in shape?
Eat your fruits and veggies. Eat your bananas, your beets, apples and grapes, because they’re good antioxidants. Oranges for your vitamin C. For vegetables, I would say collard greens. I’m from the South, so I have to put the collard greens in there. Eat your potatoes; they’re a good starch, and they have carbohydrates. Asparagus, cauliflower, green beans and tomatoes.
What teammate would you say changed the trajectory of your career?
I will say that Demario Davis is a guy who’s a great leader in the locker room. Just watching him and seeing how he operates in and outside of the building rubs off on me. I’ve talked to him a couple of times, and every time he has something inspirational. I don’t know if he even tries to say anything inspirational, but I get a lot of information from him.
