10 Athletes who we want to take on a ride!

Athletes and offroaders have plenty of similarities. They both work hard, they like thrills, they’re both a part of a team… and more! But what athletes embody the traits of an offroader? We made a list. These 10, are also ones that we want to take on a ride!

First of all, did you know that many athletes aren’t allowed to offroad? In the MLB, there’s language in many contracts stating in various ways that athletes need approval to take part in activities that may harm them, covering everything from playing football to riding motorcycles.

Recently, there’s been some big examples as to why this clause is in players’ contracts. Just a couple of weeks ago, the New York Giants lost their star safety Xavier McKinney for minimally four weeks after sustaining a hand injury in an offroad incident. It’s unknown whether he broke the terms of his contract.

So although many of these athletes can’t hit the trail, we decided to make a list of 10 athletes who we think would fit in perfectly on the trail!

Marshawn Lynch

Have you ever seen this clip of Marshawn driving this cart around at his former college?

Now tell me that doesn’t look like a guy who wants to go full send all the time.

The former running back is nicknamed “Beast Mode” for a reason. He instilled fear in the opponent and he went full send on the field every game.

The thing that makes Marshawn special though, is that off the field he doesn’t seem to have that same mean streak.

He donates turkeys at Thanksgiving to those who can’t afford, he’s helped build houses in Haiti and he helped teammate Cliff Avril build a school. He also takes the time to help the youth in his hometown of Oakland.

When Lynch played, he didn’t love interviews. In one instance he answered every question with “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”

So when Marshawn hits the trail, he’ll take himself on a powerful ride. Blazing his own trail and hitting the biggest jumps, but only for his own enjoyment, not for anyone else to see.

Oh and by the way, this man LOVES skittles. So he’ll bring the snacks to your ride, but will he share?

In fact, he might even fill his Rogue Cargo Box with thousands of skittles…

Fernando Tatis jr.

Talk about a player who loves to have fun! The San Diego Padres star shortstop might be the only player who flips his bat higher than you can send your UTV. 

Whether he’s celebrating a big home run or making a flashy play in the field, this guy makes baseball look good. Unfortunately, his full send playing style has given him a bit of trouble staying on the field.

The Padres star would be the one on the trails who could take any corner and hit any jump at full speed, sometimes sending it a little too hard before he breaks an axle.

You won’t have more fun with anyone else though! And since he loves showing off his blingy chains and his colourful cleats on the infield, we’d also bet on him to have the nicest wrap on any ride he’s on. Probably one from Barrett Hepburn designs!

Stone Cold Steve Austin

If you want to ride a UTV with Stone Cold give me a ‘hell yeah’.

We know this former WWE Champion rides. If you’re a wrestling fan like me, you’ll have fond memories of his crazy entrances where he flew down to the ring.

These days, Stone Cold capitalized on his fame and love of offroading by becoming an ambassador for Kawasaki.

He has been a huge supporter of the Kawasaki Mule in the past. More recently, he was seen accepting a wrestlemania challenge in a decked out Kawasaki Teryx.

Madison Bumgarner

There’s not many baseball players as “country” as this former world series MVP pitcher. In 2020, Bumgarner revealed that in the past, while being an elite MLB pitcher, he’s also spent time competing in rodeo events such as team roping under the alias “Mason Saunders.” 

I’m not sure if this guy even lifts weights, or if he just chops wood for his offseason workout program. I’d actually be a little surprised if the Carhartt sponsored athlete hasn’t spent at least a little bit of time offroading.

The veteran pitcher has also become notable for his competitiveness on the mound, getting into yelling matches with umpires and opposing hitters so it would be fair to assume that if you’re taking a ride with him, you wouldn’t want to trail too far behind! This is the type of rider who would take your leisurely ride to the next level and start to compete, maybe a little too hard!

Bumgarner might not have the flashiest machine… I don’t think he’d like a machine that has all the bells and whistles, so I’d bet he rides a 2005 Polaris Sportsman.

Ryan Getzlaf

In the legendary captains final game for the Ducks at the Honda Centre, he was gifted a Ducks-inspired custom wrapped UTV (with Teemu Selanne behind the wheel).

Which UTV was it? Well.. you can probably guess by the arena name that it was a Honda Talon.

So we assume that Getzlaf loves the outdoors, why else would they get him that gift?

It wouldn’t particularly surprise us if he’s hit the trail, or even the dunes quite a bit since hanging up the skates.

First of all, he’s Canadian. A Saskatchewan kid to boot. We all know they love to ride.

Second of all, Getzlaf was a captain for a bulk of his career. So he’s probably the leader of the riding group. We feel like if you’re in trouble in the mud, he’d be the one to pull you out.

Plus, his brother Chris was an all-star wide receiver with the Saskatchewan Roughriders for nearly a decade and is well-endeared with the province. So he has a natural riding buddy!

Zack Greinke

The Royals pitcher has played for 6 different teams throughout his long career, so he’s definitely had opportunities to experience the different landscapes around the states. 

But he’s also a guy who’s known for being a bit of a character. He calls his own pitches, rather than having his catcher call them for him. He sits on the mound between innings. He’ll even mix in a 50 mph eephus pitch instead of throwing the 90 mph heat.

I’m not even 100% sure Greinke likes people sometimes, but who knows, he’s pretty mysterious.

Greinke would probably love to just get out onto the trail and explore in some peace and quiet. He would keep his riding group small while he looks to make his own trails in the most remote places!

I think if he owned a UTV, he might have a new electric RZR, it’s quiet and it’s different from everything else on the trail… Just like Greinke!

Carson Wentz

The former #1 overall pick, and current quarterback for the Washington Commanders, has a known affection for hunting. When Wentz moves his team down the field, he’s lasered in on the end zone. When he’s riding down the trail, he’s lasered in on his next trophy.

We actually know what Wentz rides, a Bobcat UTV! His love for the outdoors got him a sponsorship with the company more known for construction equipment, however they do make side by sides as well, which are similar to the Polaris Ranger!

Jesse Puljujarvi

Jesse Puljujarvi feels like a pretty adventurous guy when he’s not flying down the wing for the Edmonton Oilers. He’s known as “The Bison King” in Edmonton ever since he posed dangerously close to a buffalo for a photo last NHL season. So we know he enjoys nature, a common trait amongst UTV riders! 

He even dressed up as a bison for Halloween last year.

If Puljujarvi was a rider, he’d probably spend a lot of time in the Rocky mountains to see as many deer, moose and of course… bison, as he can.

Lebron James

Last week, we released a blog detailing all the ways you can use your UTV. According to this Instagram post from future NBA Hall of Famer King James, a UTV can be used as workout equipment too…

If Lebron were to hit the trail, we’re sure he would handpick his riding group, just like he does with his teammates. No matter what Lebron has done throughout his career, he’s been able to conquer it easily. So it’s a safe bet that if he hits the trail, he might be the fastest, he might get out of the mud the quickest, and he might climb the steepest hill.

And in the end, he probably won’t break any parts either. We’d like to imagine our machines could all be as durable as Lebron has been for his NBA career spanning nearly two decades.

Shaquille O’neal

This NBA Hall of Famer has been dominant on the court as well as off of it.

On the court, Shaq averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Dominant.

Off the court, Shaq has dominated everything else, too. He’s always on my tv, whether he’s talking about the NBA, or endorsing a new product.

If Shaq were to hit the trail, I’m not even sure what machine he’d fit in. He’s probably bigger than most quads and there’s no way his 7’1 frame would fit inside any UTV.

Or maybe he would… He can fit in a Smart Car after all!

Either way, there’s something about a sherp that feels big enough for Shaq. 

Shaq was big, weighing anywhere between 300-370 pounds throughout his career. A sherp weighs about 2886 pounds. Shaq is 7’1, a Sherp is close to 8’3.

When Shaq hit the court he was physical. He was able to power his way through whoever tried to get in his way. Just like how a sherp can get through any terrain it rides on.

And by the way, if Shaq was in a riding group he would be the one blaring the loudest tunes. Have you heard of DJ Diesel? Yes Shaq is a DJ too… Because of course he is.

There it is, our top ten athletes who we think would fit great on the trail! Which athlete would you put in your riding group?