10 Athlete Food Brands Slideshow

Fred Smoot's SMACK Energy Bars

You may remember NFL player Fred Smoot from his Love Boat scandal back in 2005 when he and 17 other Minnesota Vikings teammates allegedly hired prostitutes to perform sex acts on a cruise. He has moved on to a new team, the Redskins, and left the Love Boat days behind for a new business enterprise: candy.

 

Smoot developed a line of SMACK energy chocolate bars that incorporate more than 10 vitamins in a heap of dark chocolate and honey. Find them in select stores in Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and Mississippi, or order online here

Reggie Jackson's Reggie! Bar

Mr. October allegedly said before joining the Yanks that if he were to play in New York he would have a candy bar named after him. Sure enough, the Reggie! bar was made by the Standard Brands Company to celebrate the '77 World Series. 

Andre Reed's Over The Middle All Purpose Sauce

If there's anyone to trust with barbecue sauce, you'd think it would be an NFL player. Former Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins wide receiver Andre Reed's "Over The Middle" All Purpose Sauce was developed because of his reputation as a receiver. The company is currently working on releasing an OTM Wing Sauce, but that has yet to hit stores.

 

The original sauce can be found in select stores, or online here. Portions of the proceeds go to Second Mile, a children's foundation in Philadelphia, the Boys & Girls Club of Allentown, and the Kids Escaping Drugs Campaign — not bad reasons to sauce up your next meal. 

William Perry's The Fridge BBQ Sauce

Certainly not the only NFL player to make his way into the barbeque world, William "The Refrigerator" Perry also created his own line of finger-licking barbecue sauce. The defensive lineman shocked the crowd in Super Bowl XX when he played offense and actually scored a touchdown! "The Fridge" is trying to garner that same excitement with his sauce. He might start by hiring someone to take better pictures than the ones on his site picturing it laying on sod.

Babe Ruth's Home Run Bar

Here's one from the books. Since 1921, when Baby Ruth candy bars were launched, the company has denied association with the slugger, claiming it's named for President Grover Cleveland's daughter (nicknamed "Baby Ruth"). But when Babe launched his Babe Ruth Home Run Bar, the company did all it could to shut it down, successfully. The only place you'll find a candy bar endorsed by the Babe today is on vintage candy bar web sites or in museums. 

Nolan Ryan's Guaranteed Tender

Nolan Ryan, ex-pitcher of the Mets, Angels, Astros, and Rangers, and current co-owner of the Texas Rangers has made a foray into the cattle industry with his line of Nolan Ryan's Guaranteed Tender beef.

 

After being involved in the cattle industry for his whole life, Nolan was excited to produce meat that would meet high standards. Find it in many stores throughout Texas, or order online here. If that's not enough athlete endorsement for one meal, pair it with this next athlete-produced food brand: Jeff Hammond's Pit Crew Barbeque Sauces & Rubs.

Jeff Hammond's Pitt Crew Barbeque

One of NASCAR's best crew chiefs, Jeff Hammond, has developed a line of barbecue products for NASCAR fans, aptly named Pit Crew Barbecue. Hammond, who has two championships and 43 wins as a crew chief, created this line of barbecue essentials to spread love for the sport and make it easier for fans to tailgate. Find his products online here.

Tony Siragusa's Goose Ribs

Tony "The Goose" Siragusa has moved through various professional fields during his career. Not only did he play 12 years with the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens, but he also acted on HBO's The Sopranos, hosts Man Caves on DIY, and was a part-owner of the Tiffany's chain of restaurants.

 

Work at the restaurant put him on a mission to create the best tasting barbecue, culminating with a line of barbecue meats: Goose's Barbeque. His ribs, pulled pork, sausages, and meatballs can be found online and in supermarkets including A&P, Shaw's, Stop & Shop, and BJ's. 

Peggy Fleming's Fleming & Jenkins Wines

Three-time world champion figure skater Peggy Fleming, who won Olympic gold for Ladies' singles in the '68 Olympics, opened her own vineyard and winery in California's Santa Cruz Mountains. Her wines include the 2007 Choreography (a mix of five Bordeaux varieties), the 2010 Victories Rosé, and the 2009 Jenkins Vineyard Chardonnay.

 

Fleming, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998, donates a portion of the profits from each bottle of Victories Rosé to breast cancer research, and has raised more $45,000. That's drinking for a cause! 

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Big Mo Candy Bar

Back in 2008, NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. partnered with the R.M. Palmer Company to release a line of 2.5 oz Big Mo' Milk chocolate bars, filled with either caramel of peanut butter filling.

 

Unfortunately, the candy is no longer produced, but if you're looking to get your Earnhardt fix, you can visit one of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Whiskey River locations in Charlotte and Jacksonville.