Video: The Colts’ Griff Whalen Is One Football Fan Skipping the Game-Day Wings

Plant-Fueled Wide Receiver Stars in New PETA Video

For Immediate Release:
January 28, 2016

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

Inspired by plant-fueled athletes like Brendan Brazier, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Griff Whalen went vegan two years ago—and he’s never felt better. That’s why he was eager to team up with PETA for a brand-new video (available here), in which he shares why he won’t be eating any chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday or any other day.

“Just my overall body composition has gotten leaner, and I feel lighter and faster on the field,” says Whalen. “And one of the biggest things I’ve noticed is a quicker recovery time after workouts or practices, which, I think, helps me a lot.” Plant-based protein smoothies—along with beans, lentils, quinoa, and fresh vegetables—help Whalen stay in top form.

But the benefits of going vegan don’t stop there. “[I]t has a huge impact on the environment and animals’ well-being,” adds Whalen. The numbers agree: Every person who goes vegan saves more than 100 animals a year from daily suffering and a terrifying death in today’s industrialized meat, egg, and dairy industries—and the United Nations has concluded that vegan eating is the most effective way to combat climate change.

Whalen is part of a growing list of plant-fueled athletes, including the San Diego Chargers’ Brandon Flowers, ultramarathoners Brendan Brazier and Scott Jurek, triathlete Rich Roll, the NBA’s Ben Gordon, and professional fighters Bryant Jennings, Austin Healy Aries, Heather Jo Clark, and the Diaz brothers—among many others.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—encourages everyone to try delicious vegan Super Bowl recipes.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.