Cowboys Country

Mike McCarthy dismisses question about Mazi Smith's weight with comical response

Mazi Smith's weight has been a topic of discussion during the offseason, but Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy dismissed questions about the former first-rounder's weight with a comical response.

Josh Sanchez

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The mystery surrounding Mazi Smith's weight has been widely discussed this offseason, after reports that the 2023 first-rounder lost approximately 30 pounds.

Smith saw only 304 defensive snaps during his rookie season, and struggled to get off of blocks after his unexplained weight loss.

The former Michigan star was drafted to play one-technique in the Cowboys' defense, but his weight loss left him overmatched in his one-on-one assignments. Smith entered the league around 330 pounds but reportedly saw that number drop to the upper 290s by the time the season rolled around.

There are rumors about why Smith may have lost the weight, but what we know for certain is that he looks to be back on track for a potential bounce-back season in Year 2.

During Wednesday's press conference, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was asked about Smith's progress. Smith is recovering from shoulder surgery at the beginning of the offseason and is working with the rehab group.

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"He’s in all the meetings and does everything else," McCarthy told the media.

McCarthy was then asked about Smith's weight, but dismissed the question with a comical response.

"I’m not going to (talk about that)," McCarthy quipped. "I don’t even talk about my own weight for God’s sake."

Smith was praised for his size/speed combination coming out of college, and it looks like he is getting back to the range the Cowboys were initially hoping for in a one-tech.

According to the current roster listing, Smith weighed in at 328 pounds. If accurate, that will be music to Mike Zimmer's ears.

Of course, it depends on how Smith put the weight back on.

Regardless, Smith's key is to get back on the field and get the reps he was unable to maximize during his rookie season. And at least one coach believes Zimmer could be the man who can bring the best out of Smith.

"Mike Zimmer’s new scheme will be better suited for him,” the coach told Heavy.com. "Because he’s best at playing blocks, rather than just getting upfield in the type of scheme they ran last season."

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Josh Sanchez

JOSH SANCHEZ

Managing Editor: Cowboys SI - Contact: joshsanchez@gmail.com