In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the increase in total body mass that has been observed in Division I football players over the past several years has also been accompanied by an increase in body fat percentage, with the ultimate result being that some players are not only overweight by usual standards but overfat as well. Although the implications from these conclusions are significant from a functional performance perspective, they are most significant from the standpoint of the athlete’s overall health and medical prognosis. The issue of optimal playing total body mass and body fat for football players (especially the linemen) represents a potentially problematic medical development in that the increased size of the players may be followed by a concurrent increase in body fat. At some point the question of long-term implications of the overweight football player needs to be considered in the development of optimal weight/body fat guidelines for each position, as well as its influence on position-specific performance. Detraining programs, such as those described by Kraemer (12) and reemphasized again by Snow et al. (22) must become a reality for all players, but in particular for players in these higher health risk playing positions. Within this context, the maximization of sportspecific function should not represent a antithetical objective, and the long-term health considerations of the athlete must always be at the forefront of all training program design. Finally, it must be considered that there is probably a point of diminishing returns, where increasing largeness past a certain point is not helpful in football skill because an increase in muscle mass will no longer occur, but rather an increase in body fat, where the medical risks undoubtedly outweigh the athletic prowess.