With a world speed record in sight, Jimmy Graham checks in from his Arctic Ocean adventure

USA Today

11-07-2025

'It's been raining nonstop for 24 hours. No sun for 72'
Jimmy Graham and his rowing crew are a week into their round-the-clock paddle across the Arctic Ocean, and the former New Orleans Saints star tight end took a moment to share a message with fans following from home on Friday.
"It's been raining nonstop for 24 hours. No sun for 72," Graham said in a statement through the Saints. "We're officially in battery conservation mode. Everything's wet. Everything's cold. But the mission? Still fully charged. We are so thankful for everyone's continued support through this journey. Let's go!"
While Graham's aim is to set a new speed record for rowing this route across the Arctic Ocean, his ultimate goal is to raise $1 million in funds for a couple of Louisiana-based charities in the Covenant House and Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans. You can read more about those charitable efforts and Graham's partnership with the Million Meters Club.
Strong winds pushed Graham's boat west of the planned course earlier in the trek, but they're still making good time and could reach their destination in just a few days. The crew spent a year and a half training for this adventure and hoped to make the trip in 10 days, but packed enough supplies for twice that if need be. The standing record for the 1,000-mile paddle is 15 days and five hours, and they just might beat that.
Graham, 38, last caught passes for the Saints in 2023 after recovering from a cycling accident in Miami (he was struck by a car while riding his bicycle and joked that he "did more damage to the car"), where he played college football and basketball for the Hurricanes. His exploits as a pilot are famous, but Graham's wanderlust has taken him to sea, too. Good luck to him and his team on the final leg of this journey.
Fans can watch Graham's progress with a live tracking map on the Arctic Challenge's website, where they can also donate to support the charities he's advocating for. Graham and his team have been at sea since Friday, July 4 and have a good shot at going the distance. We'll be rooting for them.