Now that his football career is long behind him, former Seattle Seahawks star Jimmy Graham will comfortably go down as one of the best tight ends of the 2010s. With five Pro Bowl selections, two All-Pro nods (one first-team and one second-team) and 89 career touchdowns, he was nothing short of dominant at his peak.
However, Graham might've just pulled off his most impressive athletic feat yet, and it had nothing to do with football.
Earlier this week, Graham and his team - which includes Andrew Tropp, Hannah Huppi and John Huppi - completed the Arctic Cahllenge by rowing over 584 nautical miles in just over 10 days, per the New Orleans Saints' website. They broke the previous record for a team of four at 15 days, five hours and 32 minutes, set by Ocean Revival in 2023.
The quartet departed from Tromsø, Norway on July 4 and arrived in Longyearbyen, Svallbard on July 14. They battled incliment conditions throughout the entire trip, even having to drop their anchor at two different points.
In completing the challenge, the team set a handful of firsts. It was the first mixed-gender team to cross the arctic ocean, as well as the first All-American team to cross a polar ocean. Graham became the first Black person to cross a polar ocean, and Hannah Houpi became the first woman to complete the same voyage.
The 38-year-old Graham and the rest of the team used the opportunity to help raise money for the Covenant House New Orleans and Laureaus Sport for Good New Orleans. They set the goal of raising $1 million, a dollar for every meter rowed.
"Just wanted to remind everybody why we are out here and to go on the map and donate what you can for the kids," Graham said during the third day of the expedition. "The reason why we are sitting here, suffering so much is to bring opportunities to others so we appreciate the support."
