“Jared Lorenzen, gone too soon.”
Those words were all over social media and likely all over the state of Kentucky on Wednesday when it was announced that the record-setting Wildcats quarterback had died at age 38.
Lorenzen was more than a Kentucky legend. He was an SEC legend. Shoot, “Hefty Lefty” was a football legend.
How Lorenzen played the game while tipping the scales at 300 pounds throughout his football career was something we’ve never seen before and might not ever see again. The southpaw threw with ease, and he moved as well as if not better than quarterbacks 100 pounds smaller.
But because of his battle with obesity, his unicorn combination of skills only lasted a few years in the NFL. As a result, health problems followed his post-playing career and he never accomplished his goal of seeing his grandkids. Kentuckians everywhere are mourning the loss of Lorenzen.
“Jared Lorenzen, gone too soon.”
While he left the world far too soon, Lorenzen left behind a lifetime of lessons for everyone to learn.
To the high school athlete thinking about specializing in one sport, look at Lorenzen.
He was a 3-sport star who dominated every field or court that he walked on. Even when it became clear that the Highland High School (Ky.) star was destined for a Division I football career, he still did everything. Sports came easy to Lorenzen. He’d always say God blessed his left arm and that he didn’t have to work at that.
When Lorenzen was asked later about how he was able to move so well on the football field, he credited that to playing high school basketball. Former Georgia All-American defensive end David Pollack called Lorenzen “a magician” because of his ability to make people miss.
You're a college cornerback, and you see the quarterback running straight at you. It's on you to make the tackle. One problem: He weighs 100 pounds more than you. You get low and brace for impact.
And then Jared Lorenzen does stuff like this. pic.twitter.com/ECvVfxmIOr— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) July 3, 2019
That footwork and agility stayed with Lorenzen as he continued to put on weight after he got to college.
To the kid who gets told at an early age that they can’t do something because of their size, look at Lorenzen.
He had coaches who allowed him to play where he was most comfortable (well, when he was a kid, Lorenzen admitted he used to cry while playing quarterback because he didn’t want to touch the center’s butt every snap). Had Lorenzen been pigeon-holed into playing offensive line like his size suggested he should have, he wouldn’t have ever become Kentucky’s Mr. Football and set program records in college.
Lorenzen was always told that as long as he could throw and move — something that didn’t become a struggle really until even after his NFL career ended — that he didn’t have to look like a typical quarterback. As long as Lorenzen could stay below the weight limit, he could play Pee Wee football (Back in eighth grade Lorenzen realized he needed to lose 20 pounds in a month to make weight, so with the help of his teammates, he stayed late after practice to run while also living on a diet of Wheaties and grapes).
To the person who takes themselves too seriously, look at Lorenzen.
Instead of being ashamed of his size at the quarterback position, Lorenzen embraced it. He loved the “Hefty Lefty” nickname that he became associated with once he got to Kentucky. The 13-pound baby was always used to being the biggest, so he didn’t shy away from it. It was the nickname that made him a recognizable figure to the average fan, but it was the personality that came with the nickname that made him so beloved.
If you took a straw poll, Lorenzen might have been as well liked as any former Kentucky athlete. Certainly it was evident in the outpouring of support that hit social media on Wednesday. Tweets of “RIP 22” called for Kentucky to retire Lorenzen’s jersey. It’d be a fitting tribute to someone who was Kentucky through and through.
To the person who waits too long to get help battling an illness, look at Lorenzen.
As he continued to struggle with obesity, Lorenzen’s reality check came at age 36 when he weighed in at over 500 pounds. A lifetime of poor eating habits and quick fix diets to make weight reached a breaking point. It’s what prompted Lorenzen to finally seek the professional help he needed to save his life.
“The Jared Lorenzen Project” was a documentary series that gave viewers an inside look at his battle. The everyday struggles he went through — not having the stamina to play sports with his kids, not being able to fit down a grocery store aisle with another person, not being able to get a full night’s rest without waking up 4 times — were all too real for Lorenzen.
The documentary chronicled his mission to eat right and exercise not only for himself and his kids, but also so that he could try and inspire others. Lorenzen hoped his story would change lives and maybe prompt someone else to make a change before it’s too late.
It might have been too late for Lorenzen, but maybe it’s not too late for him to inspire.
Somewhere there’s probably a teenager downing 2-liter bottles of Mountain Dew with a box of Hostess like Lorenzen used to who needs that wakeup call. Perhaps there’s a kid with self esteem issues who needs to learn how to be comfortable in their own skin like Lorenzen was. Maybe there’s an adult who needs to realize that it’s OK to seek help and try to live a better, longer life like Lorenzen did.
Yes, he’s gone too soon. But a life cut short can still be full and impactful.
Look at Lorenzen.
Jared Lorenzen cover photo courtesy of University of Kentucky Athletics.
Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Down South. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.
