Trent Brown was kicking it old school to get ready for training camp

The San Francisco 49ers hired Chip Kelly as their new head coach and Trent Brown knew he had his work cut out for him. He had received criticism in the past for not being the most conditioned member of the offensive line, and things weren’t going to get any easier with the fast-paced offense that was coming to town.

Brown knew what was ahead go him. He had worked in a fast-paced, no-huddle offense at Georgia Military College before he enrolled at the University of Florida. OTAs and minicamp were a challenge as the seventh round pick was batting a few ailments, including a stomach virus that he just couldn’t seem to kick. He decided to head home and go back to his roots during the break and get into shape the best way he knew how: old school.

No trainers, no fancy gyms, Brown worked with his entire family to get his conditioning to where it needed to be. He pushed trucks, his own, and ran the sand dunes. Everyone participated, his mom, dad and brother all made it their mission to get Brown into the starting line up, which is right where he was during the first portion of training camp.

Brown knows his work isn’t done. He will have to compete with returning OL Anthony Davis who has also trimmed down since the last time he wore pads. The OL was notoriously weak on the right side in 2015 and the team used the draft to try to remedy the issue. Rookies John Theus and Fahn Cooper are right at Brown’s heels trying to earn a spot but Brown isn’t worried, he’s ready. A season of NFL football under his belt has made him more comfortable with the playbook and so has his old school roots.

Here’s a full transcript:

Do you feel like a new person here at training camp? You’ve lost some weight...

In OTAs and minicamp I had a few small minor injuries/ailments and I got sick three or four times with a stomach virus. I was really trying to fight through that stuff but when I went home, I went home home and I just trained with my dad and we did everything we used to do, like took it old school, pushing trucks, running in sand dunes, non stop movement all day everyday.

Where is home?

I was in Albany, Georgia and I was back and forth between Albany and Texas.

Is Albany on the coast?

It’s Southwest Georgia, a lot of humidity out there and in Texas it averaged about 104 everyday.

So if you want to lose weight those are probably the two best spots.

Oh, for sure.

Did you say pushing trucks?

Yeah. I was pushing trucks.

Random abandoned trucks?

No, (laughing) not abandoned trucks, it was actually my truck that I have at home but that’s what I used to do and it worked. I just went back to what worked for me. I didn't go pay for a trainer, or any of that other stuff, I just needed to get back to where I started, refocus at home, no distractions, it’s just me and my family working out. It was really a family affair, we were all out there working.

How many people all together?

Four of us, me my brother, my dad and my mom.

She would work too?

I mean when we and my brother would push the truck, they would sit inside. Or when we were at the sand dunes, she would walk, my dad would walk, at the same time he’d be blowing the whistle.

Do you remember the make and model of the truck?

It’s a 2002 Yukon Denali XL.

So we’re talking some pretty serious weight.

I got a video on my Instagram. I was pushing it.

Does your dad have conditioning experience?

Yeah, my dad actually played professional basketball. He played overseas and in China and he had a small summer league stint with the Clippers but he got hurt.

You felt like you like you couldn’t get into a rhythm with all of the ailments you were dealing with in the spring?

Yeah.

Was it difficult to adjust to the tempo?

The pace is different but you know, everywhere I’ve been we’ve always had a small touch of the fast paced offense. My junior college, we did no huddle as well so I was pretty familiar with it, I just had to reacquaint myself and get back in the mindset of moving fast.

You and Anthony Davis have the same agent. Did you know him before he returned?

No, I had never met him before.

How does his return affect the competition in your position?

It’s camp. There’s going to be competition. I mean if anything I feel it just upped the competition and the morale in the whole room and everyone is just going to get better.

Can you go over the blocking against Ahmad Brooks, that was a good battle.

Ahmad is definitely, he’s one of those quick guys, you never know what you’re going to get so he was really kind of pointed right at me and I took one set and met him at the point, and he came inside and I finished.

How are you right now compared to last year. Are you at the best point of your life?

I feel great right now. I feel like I’m not stepping into it blind anymore you know? SO I can come out here and I’m comfortable. I’m not comfortable per se but I’m comfortable, you know? I know what I’m doing more, I’m comfortable with the playbook, the drills.

And all of the nagging injures are taken care of?

Yeah, They’re gone.

I couldn’t find a current, close up picture of Trent Brown from training camp so I’ve included this tweet. Photo credit: Cam Inman.