The NY Giants players say the Giants punter is the strongest man on the team

"Pound for pound", that is.

In this morning's NY Times -

Punters and kickers are, at least stereotypically, “the soft,” “wimpy” type, Giants punter Steve Weatherford said. But according to many of Weatherford’s teammates, Weatherford — at 210 pounds — is pound for pound the strongest player in the Giants’ weight room. He proudly works to maintain what defensive end Justin Tuck called (with only a hint of envy) a “total beach body.”

Weatherford, a seven-year veteran who has played with four other teams, readily admits that he is blessed with “some pretty good genetics.” But that does not fully explain his 5 ½ percent body fat or the fact that he regularly lifts as much weight as the Giants’ linebackers.

A few weeks ago, Weatherford was unable to do his daily workout at the usual time — he typically works when offensive and defensive players are in meetings — so he found himself lifting later in the day, when more of his teammates were around.

As Weatherford went through his progression, he noticed several players pointing at him. Then, as he went to replace the 100-pound dumbbells he was using, center David Baas — who is 6-4 and 312 pounds — stopped him. Baas was impressed.

“Why are you so strong?” Baas asked Weatherford. “You don’t even need it.”

Weatherford had a simple answer: longevity. During the off-season, he often trains with John Carney, the former kicker who is a mentor to Weatherford and Morstead. Carney retired in 2010 after playing for seven teams, including the Giants, during a career that spanned 23 seasons.