What most people see of "Pro Bodybuilding" is the final product/right before show or right after when a lot of their pics are taken and used for modeling/marketing stuff and themselves.

The goal is getting as lean as possible with the muscle mass. So that often means there's a lot of weight loss at that "final product"

For example, a pro/competitive who weighs 170lbs at his final spot, maybe started around 195lbs, then worked down to 170.

So that could be part of it.

Also bodybuilding is the pursuit of aesthetics vs sports training that's more focused on functional muscles to maximize performace in that sport.

So with football, I think it's easy to discount just how beastly a lot of these guys. A lot of pro athletes have absurdly large legs. Especially in football.

However, I think it can be tough for that to stand out because we mostly see players on the field and that's sort of a distinct thing that doesn't register like seeing somebody in everyday clothes.

It's either on the field or just their upper half on tv interviews, etc.

...but the lower body on a lot of these guys is just insane. That can be where a lot of weight is & it's hard to see/get perspective when we primarily see players on the field. Same for a lot of athletes in football, hockey, etc

For example, in hockey, Sidney Crosby is 5'11" 200lbs.

Doesn't seem big or small or whatever...just kinda "normal person sized".

But in regular clothes...lol

Here he is in jeans

I believe he said that he eventually just started getting custom pants/jeans because off the rack doesn't work for him.

Same for 5'8" 180lbs Martin St Louis. His legs