11 Coffee Brands Owned By NFL Players

Longtime Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee was well-known for filling his sideline squirt bottle with water — and black coffee. Should we give caffeine some credit for his 995 career tackles? Although pro athletes have plenty of favorite foods, Lee is certainly not the only one to use coffee as a performance-enhancing tool. Patrick Mahomes told ESPN that coffee was essentially necessary for focus during his rookie year with Coach Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs. Seven years later, the three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback launched a functional cold-brew coffee brand.

Mahomes joins a squad of roster players and veterans who have turned their java love into a booming business — and they all seem to be taking their coffee as seriously as their NFL playbooks. Some are brewing performance-packed drips for game-day energy, while others are running family or faith-based community spots. We even found a few NFL players channeling their coffee proceeds toward philanthropic causes. Who's trading their cleats for cappuccinos? Here are some coffee brands and franchises currently backed by legends of the gridiron.

Patrick Mahomes started drinking coffee during his 2017 rookie season out of necessity: coach Andy Reid's offensive installs were hours long and late in the day. When Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith warned Mahomes about drowning his machine-drip coffee in excessive sugar, he cut the sweetener, kept the caffeine, and started brainstorming. There had to be a better way to do "football coffee."

In 2024, Mahomes' idea came to fruition with the launch of Throne Sport Coffee. As lead investor and business partner to Michael Fedele (the marketing mastermind behind BodyArmor), Mahomes helped the brand develop a line of "premium charged" lattes and caffeine-heavy cold brews for athletes and active adults on the go. These ready-to-drink coffees include functional ingredients such as B vitamins, electrolytes, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and also feature premium arabica beans for bold flavor and caffeine to boost performance and focus. Each low-sugar, low-calorie can boasts 150 milligrams of natural caffeine for a jitter-free jolt of energy. 

Throne Sport Coffee isn't Mahomes' first foray into product endorsement. As one of the most marketable athletes in professional sports, Mahomes has appeared in ads for Hunt's Ketchup, Subway, Coors Light, Prime, Nestlé, and more. At Throne Sport Coffee, however, he's more than just a celebrity face. The caffeinated products are available for purchase at the brand's online shop, but you can also find cans at local convenience and grocery stores, including Whole Foods, HyVee, or Jacksons.

In his pro-football days, former NFL running back Justin Watson relied on coffee to keep him sharp through post-game play reviews. But after the George Floyd protests in 2020, the retired St. Louis Ram felt called to do something more meaningful with his daily routine. Drawing on his competitive drive and community roots, Watson co-founded BLQK Coffee with friend and entrepreneur Ritchie Tuazon. More than caffeinated products, the brand is a social enterprise designed to make every cup of coffee count.

BLQK stands for Building Legacies for our Queens and Kings, a name that reflects the brand's commitment to empowering at-risk Black communities through service and joy. 10% of profits from BLQK go toward charities that support economic, educational, and healthy-living initiatives. In an interview with Our Weekly, Watson said, "We believe coffee is a daily ritual that we have transformed into a unique, purposeful experience." The brand's philanthropic partners include the Brotherhood Crusade and Thrive Scholars. 

BLKQ coffee beans are ethically and sustainably sourced from women-owned farms in Ethiopia and roasted fresh each week. The high-quality standards are intentional. As an athlete, Watson wanted to create a coffee that doesn't need added cream or sugar to be enjoyed. BLQK's web shop currently offers a robust African Blend with notes of citrus, caramel, and cocoa, and a light-roast Single Origin, featuring floral notes of berries and citrus.

Super Bowl XLIV champion Jason Kyle spent 16 years snapping long balls before retiring from the NFL. His post-football career included side ventures in real estate and tech startups, but the former ASU Sun Devil found a more solid footing back on his home turf. In 2015, he invested in Press Coffee Roasters, a specialty coffee company based in Arizona. 

As a co-owner (along with Steve Kraus, Tram Mai, and Alex Mason), Kyle is not just sitting on the sidelines at Press. A recent Instagram photo shows the former Carolina Panther surrounded by red-berried coffee plants at a company coffee farm in Panama. He's also been a key player in promoting the brand's Press On Charities initiative and expanding the cafe's footprint to 19 locations throughout the Valley. In an interview with the Carolina Panthers, Kyle said, "The comfort in business after football is you're not afraid of long days and working hard."

Quality-driven and community-focused, Press Coffee offers premium single-origin coffee and blends roasted fresh in-house each day. Staples include the Twitch espresso blend and Early Edition coffee blend, but you'll also find distinctive limited-release roasts on rotation. The Press Coffee website offers nationwide shipping for out-of-state fans.

Following an 11-year career as an offensive lineman with the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, and San Diego Chargers, Cory Withrow attempted a transition to corporate life. After deeming himself "the world's worst salesman," the retired NFL player happily moved on to a calling closer to home and his Christian faith: The King's Craft Coffee (TKC). Withrow and his wife, Monica, opened the flagship TKC location in their hometown of Poway, California, in 2016. It remains a cozy, family-focused community hub and a roasting center for premium, small-batch brews. 

TKC also sports a second location in San Diego's Mission Valley, with both shops serving traditional coffee drinks like flat whites, cortados, and macchiatos alongside pastries, acai bowls, and avocado toasts. The gourmet java shop frequently tops local "best" lists for its bright, cozy setting, ethically sourced beans, and balanced flavor profiles for everyday sipping or performance fueling. Standout selections for active coffee aficionados include the Thorn and Flame blend, boosted with superfoods and adaptogens, and a private-label K Collection, made in partnership with pro baseball pitcher Austin Kitchen.

Online, the TKC web shop ships 12-ounce to 5-pound bags (whole bean or ground) plus convenient gourmet Quickie Cups, nationwide. Faith and giving back are also core to the TKC mission: The Withrows donate a portion of select sales to local organizations, including Rady's Children's Hospital.

A few years ago, star wide receiver Cooper Kupp quit his favorite fast food tacos and Pizza Hut cinnamon sticks and turned to a stricter, more disciplined farm-to-table diet. That pivot inspired Dodo Coffee Co., a brand he co-founded with his wife, Anna, and four of her family members. 

Dodo is a premium, clean-ingredient coffee venture built around non-pesticidal farming practices and zero tolerance for additives or antibiotics often found in mass-market syrups and milks. The small-batch beans consistently score between 80 and 90 points on the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) rating scale, landing them in the Very Good, Excellent, and Outstanding categories.

The brand's mobile coffee truck keeps things pure but approachable by offering botanical flavorings and glass-bottled milk sourced straight from the dairy farm (perfect if you're a latte or cold foam fan). At the time of writing, the Kupps were building a new brick-and-mortar Dodo Coffee Co. location in Fayetteville, Arkansas. You can also buy whole-bean-only (no pre-ground) bags via their online shop. Grind right before you're ready to brew for peak freshness, aroma, and flavor. The signature Dodo blend boasts a medium-dark roast with notes of milk chocolate and orange citrus. 

Add coffeehouse founder to Stephen Tulloch's already impressive resume. The former middle linebacker powered through 11 seasons in the NFL, won the Walter Payton Community Service Team Award four times, built a school in Jamaica, and founded the Stephen Tulloch Foundation to support underprivileged kids and people affected by cancer. Circle House Coffee — his three-story Fort Lauderdale drive-thru cafe — extends that meaningful impact. It's a welcoming community space created to bring people together while fostering awareness for local and global needs. 

The brand strives to give back to the community with every cup of coffee through purpose-driven collaborations and donations to nonprofits like the Pink Angels Memorial Foundation, Women in Distress, and United Way Broward in South Florida. "I've always believed if you're blessed with a platform, you're called to serve others," says the coffee philanthropist on Stephen Tulloch's Foundation website. 

With daily operation programs like Round Up for Charity, Circle House Coffee has served over 10,000 people through at least 100 different organizations. As for the coffee itself, Circle House features handcrafted, locally roasted brews ranging from specialty lattes to nitro cold brews on tap. 12-ounce bags of whole bean and ground coffee are also available for purchase through the cafe website, Goldbelly, and Meijer and Kroger grocery stores across Michigan. The Fifty-Five Signature Blend (the number Tulloch wore with the Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions) is a fan favorite with aromatic notes of jasmine, hazelnut, and nectarine.

Recently retired from the NFL in 2012, Zack Follett found inspiration in a cup of cappuccino while reading scriptures. According to Follet, it was Romans 8:1 that sparked a divine idea: build a coffee shop to share the love and connect people in his Clovis, California, community. One year later, the former Detroit Lions linebacker opened his Kuppa Joy Clovis cafe. The "Good News" coffee brand has since expanded to eight cafes and "Joy Thru" locations across California's Central Valley, including a Grand Cafe in Fresno. 

Voted the top local coffee shop by the California Restaurant Association in 2025, Kuppa Joy is a third-wave java joint that treats coffee like a fine wine or craft beer. The coffee beans are sourced from specific regions of Central and South America, then meticulously matched and roasted to create artisan flavor profiles. Outside California, you can buy 12-ounce to 5-pound bags of whole bean, drip, or coarse coffee on Kuppa Joy's online store. Bestsellers include the dark and nutty Roar Blend and the Chiapas decaf from Mexico. Seasonal specials and merchandise, like "Love God, Love People, Love Coffee" t-shirts, round out the offerings. Kuppa Joy also channels its faith-driven mission through Kuppa Cares, a nonprofit focused on advancing the gospel, supporting employees, and weekly outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness in Fresno and Madera counties.

Hall of Famer Deion Sanders played 14 seasons as one of the greatest shutdown cornerbacks in NFL history. His "Prime Time" career included eight Pro Bowl appearances and back-to-back Super Bowl rings with the 1995 San Francisco 49ers and 1996 Dallas Cowboys. In 2024, Sanders (now "Coach Prime" at the University of Colorado) added coffee impresario to his resume by joining BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages. 

BLK & Bold is a trailblazing coffee brand founded by Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson in 2018. Launched as a small garage operation, BLK & Bold quickly found itself on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in America. It's the first Black-owned, nationally distributed specialty coffee brand — and the beans, cold brews, and K-cups are now featured at over 11,000 major retailers.

According to the company's Grounds for Good Journal, Sanders was inspired to become an active co-owner and social change leader with the certified B Corp because he's always believed in the power of community service. "Joining BLK & Bold is more than just a business move for me — it's about making a lasting impact," said Sanders. BLK & Bold's mission includes pledging 5% of gross profits to youth-focused nonprofits in underserved communities. You can buy BLK & Bold coffee (and loose-leaf tea) at the online shop, or in-store at Target, Walmart, Amazon, and some Midwest Costco warehouses.

Retired Tennessee Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck didn't just buy a coffee franchise. When he and his wife, Heather, opened their Just Love Coffee Cafe at McEwen Northside in Franklin, Tennessee, in 2020, Bulluck got right to work making breakfast burritos and womletes (waffle iron omelets). He even created the 53 Signature coffee blend, a locally roasted coffee with notes of black tea, lemon, and raisin. According to an interview with Southern Exposure Magazine, Bulluck used to be more of a "tea kind of guy," but he's getting to love coffee, too. The 53 Signature coffee bag sports his NFL jersey number.

With plenty of football memorabilia, Bulluck's cafe shop stands out from other Just Love Coffee franchises around the country. There's a Titans-themed mural featuring Bulluck, downtown Nashville, and the late Steve McNair, and guests pick up drink orders from a spinning number-53 lazy Susan. But the real connection runs deeper. Bulluck spent his teenage years in foster care, and Just Love's brand mission includes donating a portion of sales to raise awareness and support for adoption and foster care initiatives. It's a cause the NFL player championed throughout his pro football career via The Keith Bulluck Believe and Achieve Foundation. The Just Love Coffee Cafe is just another way he's hoping to level the playing field for underprivileged children.

When six-year veteran Shawn Bouwens retired from the NFL, he didn't have much of an exit plan. According to Scooter's Coffee Blog, the offensive lineman (Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars) spent two years "mowing the lawn like clockwork" before he and his wife, Tracy, decided to invest in a Scooter's Coffee franchise. The couple started with one location in Omaha in 2004. By 2023, they were the brand's leading franchisees, operating 59 locations across Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas through their company, Freedom Enterprises.

Shawn Bouwens may not have been as hands-on with his coffee business as some other NFL players, but he was simultaneously running a general contracting business that managed the construction of new locations. He retired from franchising by 2023, and Tracy continues the charge with aspirations to own 100 Scooter Coffees by the end of 2026. Her favorite menu item is the americano with an extra shot. Scooter's baristas hand-pull shots and steam milk by hand.

Known nationwide for its beverages, Scooter's Coffee was co-founded by Don and Linda Eckles in 1998. The brand has upheld a drive-thru coffee house model while maintaining a commitment to quality. The signature Caramelicious — a rich, velvety caramel espresso drink (which always tastes better than homemade) — is available hot, iced, or blended. Bagged ground coffee and single-serve cups can also be shipped straight to your house.

After retiring from the NFL, 12-year linebacker Jarret Johnson embraced his passion for military veteran causes by opening a Black Rifle Coffee Company franchise in Niceville, Florida. The former Baltimore Raven and San Diego Charger initially partnered with a service-disabled Air Force veteran in 2021. Today, his Black Rifle Coffee Company location employs a team of over 40 local veterans and active-duty service members — many from the nearby 7th Special Forces Group (SFG). In 2022, Johnson earned national recognition as an NFL Salute to Service Award finalist for exemplary veteran hiring and community support through his work with Black Rifle Coffee and beyond.

Black Rifle Coffee Company was founded in 2014 by Evan Hafer, a former U.S. Army Green Beret. The brand's menu focuses on military and patriotic-themed coffee beans (AK-Espresso, Gunship Roast) and "hero beverages" like the Liberty Bell latte, Betsy Ross white mocha, and 1776 mocha. For home delivery, BRCC offers high-quality, small-batch roasts in 12-ounce bags, single-serve "rounds" (K-cups), and ready-to-drink cans. There's a medium-roast Fit Fuel blend with high caffeine to get through grueling workouts with Special Forces A-Teams of NFL combine drills. For coffee enthusiasts, there's also an Exclusive Coffee Subscription with monthly shipments of rare micro-lot roasts.