Ryan Fitzpatrick, Vince Wilfork star in 'Men V. Food' | Exclusive - USA Today
Ryan Fitzpatrick and Vince Wilfork have faced some pretty big opponents during their NFL careers, but have they ever gone up against a 4.5-pound burger? The former NFL stars are trading footballs for forks in Discovery Channel's new series "Men v. Food" premiering Dec. 8.
And judging by the menu, they might want to bring their stretchy pants.
The show puts a new spin on the popular "Man v. Food" franchise, sending Fitzpatrick and Wilfork across eight of America's biggest football cities to explore local restaurants, sample regional favorites and compete in some seriously oversized food challenges. Each episode pairs the two with a local sports legend before they face off for the show's "food chain" award and, perhaps more importantly, bragging rights.
The competition kicks off in Seattle, where Seahawks legend Richard Sherman joins the pair for a visit to Sam's Tavern. They are challenged to finish a towering burger stacked with 4.5 pounds of beef and all the fixings, plus a Bloody Mary topped with another burger and a pint of beer. And that's just the first episode.
The rest of the season features a 40-inch lobster roll at Pauli's in Boston, 76 ounces of prime rib at Star Rover in Houston, a 36-inch pizza at La Hacienda Brighton in Buffalo and 180 oysters at Acme Oyster House in New Orleans. There's also spicy ramen in Chicago, scorching hot wings in Kansas City and nearly 12 pounds of cobbler in Nashville.
"I've taken on plenty of big challenges in my career, but nothing prepared me for a 40-inch lobster roll or 180 oysters," said Wilfork, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots. "I never expected to be intimidated by a plate of food, but these challenges are the real deal."
Fitzpatrick, who spent 17 seasons in the NFL, seems particularly excited about the opportunity to beat his co-host.
"Going head-to-head with Vince Wilfork to eat a 12-pound cobbler in 30 minutes is my idea of a good time, especially when I win and get all future bragging rights," he said.
Apparently, some rivalries are best settled over dessert.
You can catch the "Men v. Food" premiere on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery Channel.
