10 Craziest Products That Athletes Have Tried to Sell
Athletes have been pitching products almost as long as commercials have existed, but sometimes the fit makes absolutely no sense. Long before today’s era of athlete-founded brands with real ownership and strategy, stars slapped their names on things that ranged from confusing to outright uncomfortable. These attempts were strange and awkward, more so, occasionally unforgettable.
Pete Rose
Credit: ebay
One of baseball’s biggest hitters once appeared in a Kool-Aid commercial aimed squarely at kids. The drink offered sugar, artificial flavors, and zero athletic value, which made the pitch especially strange coming from a professional athlete. The ad’s upbeat tone clashed hard with the reality that Kool-Aid had nothing to do with performance or health.
Karl Malone
Credit: ebay
Skechers put Karl Malone in ads for Shape-Ups for Men, shoes marketed around toning muscles while walking. Malone spent his NBA career as one of the league’s most physically dominant players, built through elite training rather than gimmick footwear. The mismatch between the product promise and the athlete’s credibility made the endorsement feel off from the start.
Jimmy Johnson
Credit: Youtube
Former Super Bowl-winning coach Jimmy Johnson became the face of Extenze, a male enhancement supplement advertised on late-night TV. The commercials relied heavily on his career success while selling a product with no connection to football or coaching.
Ric Flair
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The North Carolina Education Lottery leaned into wrestling theatrics by featuring Ric Flair shouting catchphrases in convenience stores. Lottery tickets themed around a wrestling persona confused the message. Flair’s over-the-top presence overshadowed the actual product being sold.
Marshawn Lynch
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Seattle viewers saw Marshawn Lynch promoting Beacon Plumbing by unclogging sinks and smashing through walls. The ads were more humorous than logical, since professional football skills do not translate into home repair skills. The commercials became memorable locally, even if the connection made zero practical sense.
Hulk Hogan
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Hulk Hogan opened a restaurant called Pastamania in the 1990s, built entirely around his wrestling persona. The promotion felt like a wrestling skit instead of a dining pitch, complete with catchphrases and exaggerated bravado. Pasta tied to a wrestling character left customers wondering what the actual appeal was.
Pat Jennings
Credit: ebay
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Pat Jennings once dressed as a giant oil filter to promote Unipart Oil Filters. The ad compared oil filtration to goalkeeping, a metaphor that required serious imagination. Seeing a respected soccer figure waddling between pipes turned the message into pure confusion.
Joe Namath
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Joe Namath appeared in ads for Beauty Mist undergarments, reclining and posing in ways that grabbed attention fast. A Super Bowl-winning quarterback selling women’s hosiery shocked audiences at the time. The commercial became famous less for making viewers uncomfortable.
New York Rangers Players
Credit: ebay
Several New York Rangers stars appeared in Sasson jeans commercials, dancing and posing theatrically. Hockey fans were used to toughness and grit, not runway moves. The ads leaned hard into fashion fantasy.
Rosey Grier
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Former NFL lineman Rosey Grier released needlepoint kits designed for men in the 1970s. The idea challenged stereotypes, but it clashed with his image as a 285-pound defensive force. The products drew attention largely because they contradicted expectations tied to his football career.