{"id":884529,"date":"2026-05-07T03:27:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T03:27:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/884529\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T03:27:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T03:27:58","slug":"steelers-rookie-ol-dunker-has-a-massive-game-day-meal-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/884529\/","title":{"rendered":"Steelers rookie OL Dunker has a massive game day meal plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NFL<\/a> Draft gave teams a chance to infuse their rosters with elite rookie talent. Franchises now expect these newcomers to help change the trajectory of their organizations.<\/p>\n

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a polarizing 2026 NFL Draft. Still, one selection earned near-universal praise: offensive lineman Gennings Dunker out of Iowa.<\/p>\n

The 96th overall pick captured the attention of fans, media members, and NFL teams with his flowing mullet during workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine. Now, his diet has become the latest topic of conversation \u2014 and it resembles a true gladiator\u2019s feast.<\/p>\n

MORE: Who would win Russell Wilson-Geno Smith New York Jets QB battle?<\/a><\/p>\n

DraftKings recently shared<\/a> Dunker\u2019s game-day meal plan, and the haul is massive. His preparation begins the night before kickoff. Here\u2019s the full breakdown of the Steelers rookie lineman\u2019s meal routine.<\/p>\n

\"IowaIowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Night Before the Game<\/p>\n

5:30 p.m. Meal<\/p>\n

Two bowls of pasta with meat sauce<\/p>\n

Two rolls<\/p>\n

12-ounce steak<\/p>\n

Two servings of fruit<\/p>\n

The meal packs in carbohydrates to help store energy for game-day competition while also delivering plenty of protein to support strength and recovery. It contains everything a professional athlete needs to prepare for battle.<\/p>\n

8:30 p.m. Meal<\/p>\n

Three hamburgers<\/p>\n

Three bags of chips<\/p>\n

Hydration packet mixed with water<\/p>\n

Cup of hot chocolate<\/p>\n

MORE: Joe Burrow praises Cincinnati Bengals offseason moves, sets expectations<\/a><\/p>\n

Offensive linemen do not survive on clean eating alone. Dunker prioritizes calorie intake because he burns through fuel as quickly as he consumes it on the gridiron. And the hot chocolate? Even NFL linemen crave something sweet.<\/p>\n

\"\"Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Gennings Dunker (67), center, stands with teammates for the national anthem Nov. 8, 2025 before a Big Ten Football game against the Oregon Ducks at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.<\/p>\n

Game Day: Pregame Fuel<\/p>\n

7:15 a.m. Meal<\/p>\n

Four pieces of toast<\/p>\n

Two bowls of Wheaties<\/p>\n

Two pancakes<\/p>\n

Two chicken breasts<\/p>\n

Water with a hydration packet<\/p>\n

The most important meal of the day delivers a heavy dose of grains and carbohydrates to maximize energy levels. The Steelers need their offensive linemen ready to dominate the trenches.<\/p>\n

9:00 a.m. Meal<\/p>\n

Four pieces of toast<\/p>\n

Chicken breast<\/p>\n

10:15 a.m. Meal<\/p>\n

Honey Stinger waffles and chews<\/p>\n

Maurten Gel<\/p>\n

Hydration packet mixed with water<\/p>\n

MORE: Ranking NFL\u2019s most dominant dynasties<\/a><\/p>\n

A few quick energy boosts later, and Dunker is ready to take the field for Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mar 1, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker (OL20) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In-Game Fuel and Postgame Recovery<\/p>\n

In-Game<\/p>\n

Honey Stinger waffles and chews<\/p>\n

Powerade<\/p>\n

Water<\/p>\n

The strategy remains simple: stay hydrated and stay energized.<\/p>\n

Postgame Meal<\/p>\n

Culver\u2019s double bacon cheeseburger<\/p>\n

Culver\u2019s family-size cheese curds or onion rings<\/p>\n

Three sides of Culver\u2019s ranch dressing<\/p>\n

MORE: 3 NFL players facing the most pressure in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Now that is a postgame meal. Dunker finishes the day with a well-earned reward after a grueling performance in the trenches. Few athletes would turn down a feast from Culver\u2019s after game day.<\/p>\n

\"\"Nov 18, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Gennings Dunker (67) and offensive lineman Mason Richman (78) and Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Dylan Rosiek (28) and defensive tackle Jer\u2019Zhan Newton (4) are separated by an official during the third quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Many fans may wonder what this 24-hour meal plan looks like in terms of calories and macronutrients. Here\u2019s the breakdown:<\/p>\n

Calories: 10,065 k\/cal
Carbohydrates: 1,060g
Fat: 440g
Protein: 480g
Caffeine: 100-115g<\/p>\n

Could you eat like an NFL offensive lineman preparing for game day?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The NFL Draft gave teams a chance to infuse their rosters with elite rookie talent. Franchises now expect…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":884530,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2055],"tags":[7,34761,6,520,57,2360,426],"class_list":["post-884529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pittsburgh-steelers","tag-football","tag-gennings-dunker","tag-nfl","tag-pittsburgh","tag-pittsburgh-steelers","tag-pittsburghsteelers","tag-steelers"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116531175436900300","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/884529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=884529"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/884529\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/884530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=884529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=884529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=884529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}