They also instituted arts-and-crafts Tuesdays—“The pinwheels went over well,” says Mujalli—and got addicted to Paradise Hotel, the reality show on FOX.

“Our lives shut down for an hour Tuesday and Wednesday or Monday and Wednesday, whenever it was on—it depended on the week,” Traverso says seriously. “We would just sit there and watch it as the drama unfolded. It was incredible.”

“Amazing. Then we’d all discuss it at lift the next day,” Mujalli says.

“Cause our strength coach watched it, too,” Bakken says.

Say what?

“Once the other guys heard us talking about it—” Mujalli says.

“It was all over,” Bakken concludes.

“It left a void in our lives that I don’t think we can hope to fill,” Traverso says.

“That’s something about O-linemen that people don’t know,” Mujalli says. “We watch things like reality TV.”

Who would think that men who thrive in the trenches of football would care about a show that’s really a soap opera in disguise?

But these offensive linemen are more than just brutes and beef. They have a softer side, and they have no problem using it against each other.

Mujalli pointed out that Traverso, who is from Sacramento, Calif., is “an accomplished sousaphone player,” and also practices yoga.

“I think it’s part of the West Coast thing,” Mujalli muses.

“It really is,” Traverso nods.

“I never really understood the downward dog,” Mujalli strokes his chin as he contemplates the basic yoga position.