ALLEN PARK — The term “freak” gets thrown around rather loosely in the world of professional sports, but in regards to Detroit Lions second-year defensive end Anthony Zettel, it’s quite apropos.
Just a few days ago, while in preparation for Sam Martin’s charity softball game, Zettel picked up a baseball for the first time since his freshman year of high school and fired a pitch that clocked in at 94 mph. This isn’t the first athletic accomplishment outside of football for Zettel, who has wowed onlookers before with his physical gifts.
During his senior season at Penn State, Zettel accomplished two other athletic feats, which both became viral videos. First, in a display of strength, he uprooted a tree by tackling it. And then for an encore, he showcased some of his MMA skills by landing a tornado kick on a water bottle that a teammate held up as a target. As spectacular as those were, apparently, they were only a small dose of what the Michigan native is truly capable of.
In an ESPN interview in 2014, Bob Shoop, his defensive coordinator at Penn State, said, “He’s a weirdly unique athlete. They say he can drive a golf ball 300 yards, and he can throw a football 75 yards. I’ve seen him throw.”
Zettel’s latest display of rare athleticism, hurling a pitch in the mid 90s, also made the rounds on social media over the weekend.
So his football even his best sport?
“Yeah, it’s my job. I love football,” Zettel told WJR on Tuesday, after the Lions’ first practice of mandatory mini-camp. “But, yeah, I had a good time with Haloti [Ngata] and those guys [at the softball game].”
Zettel, who was dripping with sweat after walking off the practice field and ripping the tape off his hands while he spoke, said Tuesday’s practice was a very productive one for the defensive line.
“It’s hot out here, but we are getting good quality reps out there,” he said. “Everybody is on the same page and tugging the rope in the right direction.”
Now entering his second season with the Lions, Zettel, a sixth-round pick in 2016, says he has a much firmer grip on the mental aspect of the game than he did in his rookie year.
“I’m feeling great,” said Zettel, who finished with one sack and 13 tackles in his rookie season. “I love where we are at as a group. I’m feeling good individually too. Faster and stronger than last year and a lot smarter. The game has slowed down for me, so I just like being around these guys. We got a real good group this year. [The] camaraderie is really good. Everybody is working hard.”
When exactly did football begin to slow down for him?
“This offseason right when we started,” Zettel explained. “It started slowing down at the end of last season, but now it’s really clicking. I love where I’m out right now. I just have to keep getting better every day.”
With the free agent signings of Cornelius Washington and Akeem Spence, who Zettel called “awesome dudes” with “really good talent,” as well as draft picks Jeremiah Ledbetter and Pat O’Connor, there are several new faces on the defensive line this year. Zettel said the rookies need to “keep working and stacking day on day,” but he likes how the defensive line is looking as of now.
“I think overall talent and just focus, mindset and stuff, I think this D-line is a lot better than last year and we are headed in the right direction,” he said.
As for his personal goals for 2017, Zettel didn’t offer up any numbers. He just wants to make an impact.
“I just want to get on the field and make plays. I can’t put an individual stat on my goals this year, but I just want to be a difference maker. Last year I was a role player. This year I want to do my job, but I also want to make some plays.”