NFL career is just getting started for former Lakewood Ranch star

Austin Reiter was pounding the pedals of an exercise bike as I walked into Athletic Edge Sports Performance Training Center in Lakewood Ranch for our chat.

“Give me five more minutes?” Reiter asked, sweat pouring down his brow.

As if I was going to refuse the Cleveland Browns center’s request. The 300-pound man could turn me into pulp.

Reiter, 26, finished his third year in the NFL in January. He is back in Lakewood Ranch, his childhood home, until mid-March, getting ready for his fourth season.

He didn’t have the pleasure of a trip home last offseason, as he was forced to stay in Cleveland to rehab an ACL tear he suffered on Oct. 2, 2016, against the Washington Redskins, the team that drafted him in the seventh round in May 2015. The injury came in his first NFL start. He had never previously suffered any serious injury.

“About time,” Reiter remembered thinking of his first start. “I was disappointed, but it’s an occupational hazard. Eventually, something’s going to happen.”

The worst part, he said, wasn’t the initial injury. It was two weeks later, when doctors stretched his knee. He hadn’t used his quad since the injury, and it became locked. Unlocking it wasn’t a good time.

“God, it was brutal,” Reiter said.

Reiter said he’s still not 100%. He’s healthy enough to play, but doctors told him it could take up to two years after the injury to feel fully healed.

It’s why stretching is so important to his routine. Reiter said spends “half the day” stretching to prevent his leg from getting tight. He also does 90 to 120 minutes of workouts every morning at Athletic Edge. In Cleveland, the Browns have linemen focus on things like powerlifting to gain strength. Here, Reiter can do more speed and stability work. It’s fun to change things up sometimes, he said.

Plus, down here he can get his favorite post-workout meal, two “six-bowls” from Fresh Kitchen. A single six-bowl consists of two proteins, two bases (sweet potato noodles, rice, etc.) and two vegetables. Double that, and you will get on Reiter’s level.

Aside from working out, Reiter also plans on visiting friends in Tampa and heading to his old stomping grounds, Lakewood Ranch High, to chat with Christopher Culton, the Mustangs’ new football coach, and Reiter’s former coaches, Shawn Trent and Mick Koczersut.

Reiter, who went to the University of South Florida, hasn’t been given a chance to start since his injury, but he was used during extra-protection offensive plays and special teams plays in 2017. His goal is to start (at least) another game in 2018 — and finish that game this time.

Reiter’s life has changed since joining the NFL, mostly financially, but he said he doesn’t care about money. He just wants to do what he does for as long as he can do it, and in that respect, he feels as prepared as ever.

There is one thing that still makes Reiter ... who is not a “me-first” guy ... feel a little strange. In Cleveland, he will get recognized when he is out in public with players such as Browns left tackle and Hall of Fame lock, Joe Thomas.

Reiter has soaked in Thomas’ workout routine like a sponge. The biggest thing he learned was the importance of routine. Thomas has everything figured out, Reiter said. He created a plan that worked for him and stuck to it. Reiter said every player requires different routines, but learning what works and what doesn’t is a big part of process.

One thing Reiter doesn’t do much is trash talk, despite the prevalence of it.

“I’m just trying to figure out what the heck is going on, what my assignments are,” Reiter said.

He did say some prolific trash talkers are Tampa Bay defensive tackle Chris Baker (though he and Reiter are friendly from their days in Washington), Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict and the entire Jacksonville defense.

For Reiter’s sake, I hope he hears more of it next season.