Derek Wolfe looks like he's carved out of granite. He's not simply a huge man, he's rock solid. Little wonder the National Strength and Conditioning Association recognized Wolfe as its 2011 athlete of the year when he was a senior at the University of Cincinnati.

Wolfe's work ethic stems from his teenage years toiling on a farm in Negley, Ohio, a tiny hamlet only a mile from the Pennsylvania border.

"There was a lot of stuff we had to do," Wolfe said. "The farm I lived on had probably about 110 head of cattle and there were always chores. We had 70 acres to maintain. There was big stuff and little stuff, general maintenance. Anything from getting the cows fed to using a weed whacker to keep the place in shape."

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Wolfe grew up in football country, but he was no fan of the powerful Pittsburgh Steelers. That made his 9-yard sack of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the Broncos' season opener that much sweeter.

Q: Did life on a farm help prepare you for the rigors of college and pro football?

A: I think so. Things that need to be done, you might not always want to do them, but you have to do them. So that becomes part of your life, part of who you are. Still, you find a way to put some fun in it. I mean, nobody really likes to bale hay, but when you've got a bunch of guys out there pitching in and doing it together, it becomes kind of fun."

Q: You've made a name for yourself because of your fitness level. Is that because you wanted to be a better athlete? Or because you enjoy the pain and agony of working out?

A: You love to hate it. You love certain things about it, but not all of it. Nobody likes to get sore and beat up by working the weights, but if you think about how much better you're going to be when it's over, you realize it's going to pay off. It's worth it.

Q: You also got involved in martial arts. What prompted that?

A: I do a little jiujitsu and some boxing. I was a wrestler in high school too. I still do martial arts now, at least every once in a while, because it keeps me flexible.

Q: Your diet is pretty strict, but you must like to splurge now and then.

A: I end up gorging sometimes. I like pizza. Plain old pizza. Thin-crust pizza with pepperoni. If I have a cheat meal, that's going to be my cheat meal.

Q: When you signed your NFL contract, did you reward yourself with anything?

A: I bought a truck. It's a Ford Raptor F-150. It's slick race-ready. It's cool, it's a lot of fun. I haven't really splurged on anything since then. With the season and everything, and being a rookie and everything, I really haven't had much time for anything except football. There is something new every day.

Q: You came from an area where people live and die with their football. What was it like on Friday nights when you played for the Beaver High School Beavers in Lisbon, Ohio?

A: That's what you dreamed about growing up — playing under those lights. You didn't dream about the NFL or even college, you dreamed about those Friday nights. Then when you started playing on Fridays, you started thinking about playing on Saturdays. Then when you start playing on Saturdays, you start dreaming about playing on Sundays. There is always a goal.

Derek Wolfe file
Defensive end
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 300 pounds
Hometown: Negley, Ohio
College: Cincinnati
Draft: Second round, 2012, by the Broncos
Career stats: 12 games, 12 starts, 32 total tackles (20 unassisted), three sacks for 21 yards, one pass defended