For more from the 2016 Body Issue, check out espn.
Gordie Howe Jersey .com/bodyissue! And pick
up a copy on newsstands starting July 8.Antonio Brown is not an easy man to
track down -- on the field or off it. Between Dancing With the Stars rehearsals,
offseason workouts and more FaceTiming and Snapchatting than you can imagine,
the four-time Pro Bowler sat down with ESPNs Morty Ain on the set of the Body
Issue to discuss his training regimen, his candy habit and the beauty of mango
season.ON CHANGING THE PERCEPTION OF SMALL RECEIVERS Being passed up by teams
because of my size made me hungry. Ive seen a lot of first-round guys who come
in and never really do nothing because they may not appreciate the opportunity
because everything has been given to them. I think guys who come from the bottom
understand how hard it is, so they appreciate the opportunities more.I dont
think of myself as a small receiver, but you cant control what somebody says
about you. It hasnt held me back -- actually, I think Ive changed the perception
of smaller receivers. My being able to do what I do at my size, being able to
create opportunities for other guys ... I used to play with Bruce Arians [in
Pittsburgh, when he was offensive coordinator], who is now head coach for
Arizona, and he went on to draft T.Y. Hilton in the third round [as the Colts
OC]. He drafted John Brown, who starts for the Cardinals, in the third round. So
I think guys like myself have been able to create opportunities for these guys
who may be my size.ON HIS BODY EVOLUTION (AND MANGO SEASON) I was real skinny in
high school. I was real fast and explosive. I just didnt really have a good
nutrition plan, I didnt understand how important it was to be healthy. I was
eating hot fries, potato chips in the morning, Capri Sun. That was like my
breakfast. That changed when I got to college -- I put on 20 pounds of muscle.
Now I like everything about my body. My calves are developing and getting strong
-- its definitely mango season. Mangoes have a nice, strong shape when theyre
growing on the trees around this time, when they start plumping -- just like my
calves. Also, Ive got a lot of kids, so my sperm count is good.ON SURVIVING
TRAINING CAMP When I was a rookie in training camp, Id have two-a-days and I was
like, Damn, Im about to die. I came up with a quote: The first day of training
camp, I thought I was going to die. The second day, I was afraid because I didnt
die. And the third day it was like I couldnt die. Life is a fight. Youve got
good and evil forces constantly battling each other, and if you want to set out
to do something positive, theres going to be distractions, theres going to be
adversity, theres going to be some things that are going to hit you in life, and
youve got to fight the good fight in regards to staying true to your goals and
staying on that path of what you want.ON HOW DANCING WITH THE STARS WILL HELP
HIM ON THE FIELD Ive been doing a lot of dancing, and each dance has its own
footwork that can be compared to football. The karaoke movement can be used with
lateral movement; the quick step is great when taking off on the line. Dancing
helps with the changing of directions, transferring of weight with your shock
absorbers, which makes your ankles a lot stronger. As a dancer, youve got to be
able to point your feet and bend your knees and push through your knees. Ill
maybe add a couple dances for some extra cardio or for