Bringing together a group of associates for a weekly gathering invariably leads to conversations about the Super Bowl. If these individuals also happen to be enthusiastic followers of horse racing, their discourse naturally shifts to drawing parallels between these distinct athletic pursuits.
With Super Bowl LX drawing near, featuring a clash between the Seattle Seahawks (16-3) and the New England Patriots (17-3), a fascinating topic emerged: individuals involved in the Super Bowl who also own racehorses. The compilation turned out to be quite extensive, perhaps unexpectedly so. This collection isn’t exhaustive, so please contribute on social media any other figures who shared an enthusiasm for equestrian sport and participation in the championship match.
Tom and Gayle Benson: This pair secured a Super Bowl victory as proprietors of the New Orleans Saints during the period when Sean Payton served as head coach and Drew Brees quarterbacked the squad. They triumphed over the Indianapolis Colts with a score of 31-17 in the 2010 Super Bowl. Tom Benson passed away on March 15, 2018, yet prior to his demise, he and his wife enjoyed Thoroughbred racing under the GMB Racing banner, fielding numerous contenders for the Kentucky Derby over various seasons. GMB Racing’s most accomplished equine, the Grade 1 champion Tom’s d’Etat, performed exceptionally well for Gayle Benson following her husband’s passing. She continues her involvement in horse racing and maintains ownership of both the New Orleans Saints and the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans.
Tom Brady: It’s impossible to discuss the greatest of all time in football without mentioning Tom Brady. For many, this three-time MVP and seven-time Super Bowl winner is undeniably the paramount figure to ever compete in the sport. His venture into owning Thoroughbreds is not as widely documented, but in 2007, the Boston Globe indicated that Brady held a partial interest through Little Red Feather Racing in a female horse called Guts Game. This ownership group reportedly also comprised Jay-Z, Major League Baseball player Paul LoDuca, and NBA icon LeBron James. Guts Game began her career strongly with two victories and three runner-up finishes in her initial five races, although she did not achieve a stakes-level win.
Terry Bradshaw: Distinguished Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw steered the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl championships within a six-year span, acting as the leader for a genuine NFL powerhouse. The “Steel Curtain” era saw Super Bowl triumphs in 1975 against the Minnesota Vikings (16-6), in 1976 over the Dallas Cowboys (21-17), in 1979 once again facing the Cowboys (35-31), and in 1980 versus the Los Angeles Rams (31-19). Bradshaw earned the Super Bowl MVP honor in both 1979 and 1980. Bradshaw has been an enduring admirer of Thoroughbreds. He shared ownership of the 2010 Louisiana Derby victor Mission Impazible and Grade 1 champion Graydar, and currently campaigns the undefeated 2026 Kentucky Oaks prospect Taken by the Wind.
Drew Brees: This All-Pro signal-caller earned the MVP award during the New Orleans Saints’ 31-17 victory against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2010 Super Bowl. Throughout his career, Brees has held co-ownership stakes in several racehorses, often collaborating with previous Saints head coach Sean Payton and media figure Jim Rome.
Jake Delhomme: Louisiana-born Delhomme is a prominent figure in his state’s horse racing scene, participating under the name Set-Hut Stable alongside his brother Jeff Delhomme (who trains the stable’s horses) and their father, Jerry Delhomme. The family has recently celebrated numerous wins, notably with the exceptional Louisiana-bred Touchuponastar. Delhomme guided the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl in the 2003-’04 season, where they suffered a narrow defeat to the New England Patriots, 32-29, despite Delhomme throwing three touchdown passes, in what is considered one of the most thrilling Super Bowl contests ever.
Mike Ditka: Legendary Hall of Fame tight end and distinguished Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka possesses a long-standing appreciation for horse racing, frequently attending the Arlington Million and present at the debut Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes. Ditka claimed an NFL championship prior to the Super Bowl era, experienced a 16-13 loss to the Baltimore Colts in the 1971 Super Bowl while playing for the Dallas Cowboys, and secured a touchdown in the Cowboys’ 24-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the 1972 Super Bowl. Furthermore, Ditka led one of the most formidable teams in NFL annals, the 1985-’86 Chicago Bears, who decisively defeated the New England Patriots 46-10 in the Super Bowl.
Marshall Faulk: Renowned Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk has held partial ownership in racehorses via various partnerships, notably with the Team Valor syndicate. Faulk played a crucial role in “the greatest show on turf” and contributed to the St. Louis Rams’ 23-16 triumph over the Tennessee Titans in the 2000 Super Bowl. He later faced defeat in the 2002 Super Bowl, where the New England Patriots bested the Rams 20-17.
Rob Gronkowski: The New England Patriots’ All-Pro tight end, Rob Gronkowski, is known for his zest for life, a quality evident to those observing the three Super Bowl victory parades after his championships with the New England Patriots in 2014-’15, 2016-’17, and 2018-‘19, and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020-’21. Consequently, when presented with the chance to purchase a stake in the racehorse also named Gronkowski, prior to the 2018 Belmont Stakes, the human Gronk eagerly seized the opportunity. The equine Gronkowski, having previously competed in Europe, secured a second-place finish behind Triple Crown champion Justify in its initial North American appearance.
Sam Huff: Hailing from West Virginia, Sam Huff was more than just an ardent racing enthusiast and Thoroughbred owner; he also helped establish the West Virginia Breeders Classic in 1987, demonstrating his dedication to promoting horses bred in his home state within the sport. Huff, who passed away in 2021 at 87 years old, spent the majority of his playing days before the Super Bowl era, earning two All-Pro selections as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the 1950s. Although Huff technically did not participate in a Super Bowl, his 1956 NFL Championship win with the New York Giants earns him a place on this roster.
Travis Kelce: The renowned four-time first-team All-Pro tight end, known as the partner of pop superstar Taylor Swift, will miss this Sunday’s Super Bowl, marking his absence for the first time since 2022, following his Kansas City Chiefs’ appearances in five of the past six NFL title games, where they secured three Super Bowl victories. A regular at the Kentucky Derby, Kelce ventured into racehorse ownership in 2024 by acquiring a share in Swift Delivery, primarily motivated by the horse’s moniker. This gelding then provided Kelce with his inaugural graded stakes victory in the 2025 Seagram Cup Stakes.
Marshawn Lynch: During August 2025, John G. Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa purchased a fifty-percent stake in the 2024 Horse of the Year, Thorpedo Anna, an agreement that featured Super Bowl victor Marshawn Lynch. When this transaction was made public, Lynch was present at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling auction, observing potential future racehorses, and was featured on America’s Best Racing’s live broadcast. An initial-team All-Pro running back for the Seattle Seahawks in 2012, Lynch claimed the 2014 Super Bowl with Seattle, defeating the Denver Broncos 43-8. The subsequent year, the Seahawks were defeated by the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Bill Parcells: The renowned NFL coach, Bill Parcells, operates his racing stable under the name August Dawn Farm. He has campaigned several stakes winners, including Saratoga Snacks, Play Action Pass, Hit It Once More, Forty Under, and Maple Leaf Mel. Parcells achieved two Super Bowl championships with the New York Giants: first, by overcoming the Denver Broncos 39-20 in 1987, and then by triumphing over the Buffalo Bills 20-19 in the 1991 Super Bowl, known for Scott Norwood’s missed field goal. Parcells additionally guided the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl, where they were defeated 35-21 by the Green Bay Packers in 1997.
Sean Payton: Payton’s Denver Broncos narrowly missed participating in this year’s Super Bowl, falling 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. He famously led the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl victory in the 2009-’10 season, which concluded with a 31-17 win against the Indianapolis Colts for owners Tom and Gayle Benson, who were also engaged in Thoroughbred racing through GMB Racing. Payton was present at the 2016 Kentucky Derby, where the Bensons had two entries, Mo Tom and Tom’s Ready, and he delivered the “Riders Up” command in the paddock before the celebrated race. Payton collaborated on the ownership of multiple horses with Last Mango Racing Stable, a collective that also featured musician Jimmy Buffett, alongside Saints executives and quarterback Drew Brees.
Wade Phillips: A skilled defensive coordinator and head coach in the NFL, Phillips supervised the defense for the Denver Broncos during the 2015-’16 season, which culminated in their 24-10 triumph over the Carolina Panthers. Phillips participated in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships with Hang the Moon, a horse that had achieved multiple graded stakes victories and was campaigned by him as part of the CJ Thoroughbreds partnership. His father, Bum Phillips, cultivated an affinity for racing at Fair Grounds while coaching the New Orleans Saints and was also a proprietor of Thoroughbreds.
Jacob Tamme: It comes as no surprise that Kentucky native and prominent University of Kentucky tight end, Jacob Tamme, possesses a deep connection to Thoroughbred racing—he is an ardent admirer of Keeneland Race Course—and has since moved into agriculture during his retirement. Tamme, who secured a victory at Royal Ascot in 2017 with Con Te Partiro and has owned a multitude of horses over the years, currently manages Tamme Valley Farm, an Angus cattle enterprise situated in Danville, Ky. Tamme competed in the Super Bowl on two occasions: first, with the Indianapolis Colts (experiencing a 31-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints in 2010), and a second time while with the Denver Broncos (suffering a 43-8 defeat courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks in 2014).
Wes Welker: Emerging from Texas Tech as an undrafted player, the compact wide receiver caused numerous teams to lament their choice. Welker’s career spanned two NFL teams prior to him finding an ideal role with the New England Patriots, serving as a primary receiver for the future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady (eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2028). He topped the league in receptions on three occasions and earned first-team All-Pro honors twice. Welker was a member of two Patriots squads that reached the Super Bowl, and also participated in the championship game once with the Denver Broncos, though he ended up on the losing side in all three appearances. A dedicated Thoroughbred aficionado, Welker garnered significant attention in horse racing with his multiple graded stakes champion Undrafted, who captured the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2015 and contested three renewals of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Vince Wilfork: As an All-Pro defensive tackle and a two-time title winner with the New England Patriots, Wilfork campaigned several racehorses, either independently or through partnerships, including the graded stakes victor Great Minds. Wilfork and his Patriots teammates conquered the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in 2005 and triumphed over the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in 2015. Additionally, he was part of the losing team in the Super Bowl in both 2008 and 2012, with both defeats coming at the hands of the New York Giants.
