ATLANTA -- One would expect a 300-pound offensive lineman to emerge from the locker room wearing a scowl and maybe thumping his chest a few times in preparation for battle.
Such isn’t necessarily the case for Chris Chester. On game day, the Atlanta Falcons right guard typically strolls onto the field for warm-ups wearing a blank stare and toting a 16-ounce cup in his right hand.
Not Gatorade. Not water. But coffee.
Yes, coffee.
"Just a medium morning roast," Chester said of his selection, "with cream and sugar. Nothing crazy."
It’s not outrageous to believe a football player would chug a few cups of coffee hours before kickoff. It’s simply easier to imagine it happening around the breakfast table or during the ride down to the stadium. It is unusual to see a player sitting on the bench pregame sipping coffee with a stirrer poking out from the top.
"I’ve never seen anybody drink coffee while they’re walking out there, but it doesn’t surprise me with Chris," left guard Andy Levitre said. "He loves coffee."
The 32-year-old, gray-bearded Chester, now in his 10th NFL season, said the coffee habit was something he initiated eight seasons ago while playing for the Baltimore Ravens. He saw one other player follow the same pattern: former Redskins teammate Tony Pashos, a retired offensive tackle.
"It started when I was a younger player because the season is so long and you’re really not used to it," Chester explained. "I would just be dragging a little bit, and so it was just a little boost, a little pick-me-up. And now, it’s just habit. The caffeine is actually good for you, in moderation. A little bit of caffeine is good to get your brain going."
Chester typically drinks two cups a coffee per day. He frequents Starbucks as well.
"I love Starbucks," he said. "I’m a big Mocha fan. I order a Grande Mocha with light whip (cream)."
Tight end Jacob Tamme isn't surprised.
"I’ve had coffee before, especially before a night game," Tamme said. "You sit around all day; you try to get out and move around. But when the game starts at 8:30 p.m., it’s a little bit different than anything we normally do. So, I’m with it. I have a cup, on occasion.
"I pretty much just drink whatever’s available. A nice cup of Starbucks is always a treat in the offseason, but during the season it’s whatever’s around. And that doesn’t surprise me about Chester, because he’s got that coffee-drinker (look)."
Coffee aside, Chester has given the offensive line a jolt since coming over from the Washington Redskins in the offseason. He doesn’t overwhelm with power, but has the ideal movement for offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme. ProFootball Focus gave Chester the highest grade of any offensive guard coming off Week 11.
Falcons offensive line coach Chris Morgan appreciates Chester’s approach.
"He just goes out, has a cup of coffee, and gets his mind right," Morgan said. "That’s one of the cool things about him is he has a routine and he sticks by it. He doesn’t get out of it and he doesn’t make anything up."
Chester signed a one-year, $2.8 million deal with the Falcons. If he continues to play like he did last Sunday, he should be around for more than just a cup of coffee.