Kansas City Chiefs right guard Trey Smith has made a major change away from the football field as he looks for ways to keep his body going through the demands of an NFL season.
Smith, 27, has overhauled his diet, cutting out several foods and hiring a personal chef to prepare meals based on a nutrition plan designed specifically for him. He told Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame that the changes are part of a larger effort to take better care of his body as he gets further into his NFL career.
At 6-foot-6 and nearly 330 pounds, Smith has dealt with the normal wear and tear that comes with playing offensive line. He has also been working through a hip issue that started during training camp.
“I have a lot of body pains, aches, [and I’m] just trying to figure out an avenue that is the best for sports performance,” Smith told Sports Illustrated. “Every year, playing in the league, it becomes harder and harder. I think just one thing I didn’t really take as seriously as I probably should is nutrition.”
Trey Smith Cuts Beef, Salmon & Tomatoes From His Diet
Smith began working with Dr. Leon Mellman on a nutrition plan built around his individual test results.
Smith provides an annual blood sample for extensive testing. Mellman’s system then identifies foods that the plan calls for Smith to avoid.
The results led to some significant changes.
Smith no longer eats beef and also avoids salmon and tomatoes, two foods that are often included in otherwise healthy diets. Instead, his approved proteins include turkey, bison, halibut, and sea bass.
Smith buys bison in bulk from Batchelder Family Farms in Belton, Missouri.
“Just trying to get an edge and just trying to figure out, O.K., how do I keep sustaining?” Smith said. “How do I keep getting years out of my body, essentially? What is the best way to do it?”
Smith first learned about Mellman’s program through NFL offensive linemen Cesar Ruiz and Dan Moore Jr. while training at OL Masterminds in Dallas.
He initially struggled to follow the plan because he didn’t have enough time to cook and wasn’t comfortable preparing meals himself. That led to another change in April.
Chiefs Guard Trey Smith Hires Personal Chef to Stay on New Plan
Smith hired personal chef Jayaun Smith, who is not related to him, to prepare his meals.
Jayaun has also worked with several other Chiefs players, including George Karlaftis, Chris Jones and former Kansas City wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
“Trey is one of the easiest athletes I work with, but obviously, this diet is complex but also fun,” Jayaun told Sports Illustrated. “Trey can only eat turkey, bison, halibut and sea bass, so I’m working with those proteins at all times. So for me, it is challenging myself to make sure that I’m making as much as I can with those items, but also the limited ingredients.”
Smith’s focus on nutrition comes as he continues to manage the hip issue that bothered him during the summer. He has still played every snap through Kansas City’s first two games.
He said his approach to taking care of himself has changed as he has gotten older.
“Hell, it took me years to learn it,” Smith said. “I feel like, for me, that the biggest evolution was as I get older, the mental side of it has to get better. The approach has to be different, which is the health [aspect].”
Trey Smith Wants to Stay on the Field for Chiefs
Smith’s desire to take better care of his body also connects to his determination to stay available for Kansas City.
The two-time Pro Bowl guard signed a four-year, $94 million contract with the Chiefs in July 2025. He has also won two Super Bowls since Kansas City selected him in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Smith said he doesn’t like missing practice and forcing his teammates to take additional snaps when he believes he can play.
“I’ve always sort of been a guy, if I’m able to go, I’m going to try to go and give as much as I have,” Smith told reporters. “You’re never going feel 100% playing football. It’s just part of the job and part of the responsibility.”
He also sees staying healthy as part of his responsibility to the rest of the Chiefs’ offense, including Patrick Mahomes and center Creed Humphrey.
“I can only live in the present moment, trying to be the best version of myself for my team, because I don’t want to be the reason that standard drops off,” Smith told Verderame. “Because I want Patrick to be the best quarterback, because I want him to be healthy, because Creed [Humphrey] plays beside me as the best center in the league.”
Smith and the Chiefs next face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 27.
Chiefs’ Trey Smith Reveals Strict New Diet as He Looks to Extend NFL Career