Jimmy Graham may not have officially retired from the NFL, but the longtime tight end is keeping busy after rowing over 584 nautical miles in 10 days.
The 38-year-old’s latest pursuit saw him train for the past 18 months to take part in the Arctic Challenge, a journey across the Arctic Ocean with three other team members in hopes of setting a Guinness World Record.
The crew of Graham, Andrew Tropp, and Hannah and John Huppi — the first mixed-gender team of four to row across the Arctic Ocean and the first all-American team to row across a polar ocean, broke the previous record held by a team of four of 15 days, 5 hours and 32 minutes, which was set in 2023.
As you could imagine, the conditions were rough, with the team forced to drop anchor twice during their journey. Not to mention the cold, rain and wind causing issues with recharging their electronics.
The team began their trek on July 4 from Tromsø, Norway, and arrived in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, on July 14. According to the Arctic Challenge, the average travel time south to north is about 16.5 days.
This journey also wasn’t without purpose. The crew set a goal of raising $1 million — one dollar for every meter across the Arctic Ocean — for Covenant House New Orleans and Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans.
This kind of adventure isn’t unusual for Graham, who served as lead navigator during the trip. He owns 10 different aviation licenses and is an avid cyclist.
While football might be in the past, Graham has been planning his future, as he told Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan on his podcast in January 2024.
“It just really gives me something to look forward to and something that athletically I can push myself in a new direction,” Graham said. “And I don’t have to take hits anymore. I can just sit there and just get to work.”
A five-time Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro in 2013, Graham recorded two 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons and led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2013 with 16.
After sitting out the 2022 season, Graham returned to New Orleans on a one-year deal in 2023, his last in the NFL. He played in 13 games and scored four times.