Jimmy Graham, a former New Orleans Saints tight end, announced Monday on social media that he will partake in The Arctic Challenge, an endurance event. In July 2025, a four-person crew will row 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) across the Arctic Ocean in search of multiple world records.
“The Arctic Challenge’s impact extends far beyond the four athletes and the Arctic Ocean,” Graham remarked on X (previously Twitter). “With the mission to inspire young minds, the team aims to challenge the next generation to push beyond their limiting beliefs and chart their own course.”
The team will start in Tromsø, Norway, then row 1,000 kilometers across the open Arctic Ocean, landing in Norway’s Svalbard island, according to the challenge’s official website. The rowers will train for 18 months before embarking on their journey, which will most likely last 10 to 20 days.
The squad will row a nine-meter ocean rowing boat in two-hour shifts around the clock. The members will bring all supplies on board and row entirely unsupported. Graham is joined by captain Andrew Tropp, project manager Hannah Huppi, and equipment manager John Huppi.
If accomplished, it would be the first time an all-American team had completed the task. Graham could be the first Black person to row a polar ocean, while Hannah Huppi could be the first woman to row the Arctic Ocean.
The squad hopes to break the current record of 15 days, five hours, and 32 minutes.
Latest NFL News
Kevin Zeitler: No Deal? Ravens unlikely to keep Kevin Zeitler in free agency (USATSI-21453579_168388385_lowres).
