By Jerry Linehart
Kanye West reportedly spent $2.4 million on an armored Humvee to cart his girlfriend and daughter around, and NBA star J.R. Smith bought the Gurka F5 heavily armored vehicle (yes, the one in the movie “Fast Five”).
These top NFL players drive some interesting vehicles as well, and their choices might surprise you:
Tom Brady
Photo by BlueberryFiles via Flickr
This star quarterback and nearly flawless all-around good guy gets to Gillette Stadium in an Audi R8. That’s ideal for Brady, a skillful executioner demanding fast on-field decision-making with a high-end lifestyle to boot. The stylish Audi R8 blends both technology with speed—a powerful V10 Plus engine pumps out 550 horsepower, and it starts at a ridiculous $114,000.
Photo by Luc106 via Wikimedia Commons
Ndamukong Suh
Photo by Jeffrey Beall via Wikimedia Commons
That burly mass you see in the middle of Detroit’s D-line, the one slamming players to the turf and kicking them in the nether regions, is Ndamukong Suh, and the Chrysler 300 he drives reflects his character and image. Stylish and bold on the exterior, it hides a tenacious 24-valve, 3.6-liter Pentastar engine pumping out 300 horsepower.
Yet, it all comes in a comparatively blue-collar price of around $30,000, depending on options. Add a pair of simple but economical tires, and this is a vehicle anyone would be proud to drive (and could actually afford). Considering the car is made in you-know-where, it all should keep Detroit fans happy.
Photo by IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons
Calvin Johnson
Photo by Kevind810 via Wikimedia Commons
Suh’s teammate and all-star receiver opts for a more exotic vehicle, a Porsche Panamera. Like Johnson, the car is powerful and… well, long. It seats four people and has four doors, unlike other Porsches. The executive turbo-charged model throttles up with 520 horsepower and reaches 189 mph. It also goes from 0-60 in 4 seconds flat, .35 seconds faster than his storied 40-yard dash time at the 2007 combine, run in a pair of borrowed shoes. The car would take most bank accounts from full to 0 even faster. It starts at $161,100.
Photo by RudolfSimon via Wikimedia Commons
Reggie Bush
Photo by adifansnet via Flickr
Another Lion, Reggie Bush, sold his Ferrari F430 (which Kim Kardashian reportedly drove) and bought a 1971 Plymouth Baracuda hard-top. While not as nifty and slick on the road as Reggie is on the field, it’s still powerful with a V8 Hemi engine with 425 horsepower.
Maybe it’s a result of a contract downsize. Bush was scheduled to earn $11.8 million during his last year as a Saint, and he made about $5 million a year with Miami. He earns $4 million a year as a Lion.
Photo by Bull-Doser via Wikimedia Commons
Frank Gore
Photo by John Martinez Pavliga via Wikimedia Commons
Frank Gore, the 49ers power-ram, drives a stylish Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe, which are highly customizable but usually start at around $470,000. But that’s not all he drives. He also owns a Range Rover that starts at a paltry $95,000, and a Maserati Quatroporte, also customizable but starting around $110,000.
Photo by Zolle via Wikimedia Commons
Jerry is a lifelong football fanatic who writes about both college ball and the NFL.
Categories: Random Nonsense