It would seem that many of today’s successful sports stars have something in common. Apart from the grit, determination and talent required to reach the top, there’s also one other key ingredient that these famous athletes share.
From Formula One, to skiing, tennis, gymnastics the NFL and many more, the support of an adoring companion at home, who likes to have their belly tickled, appears to be a key factor in maintaining an athletes physical and mental prowess. That’s right, were talking about pets.
In this article we take a look at some of the most famous – and pampered – pets. From jet setting canines to instagram superstars, celebrity pets are a great way to get a glimpse inside the real lives of today’s elite sports stars.
Steel and Silver: Patrick Mahomes
With the football season on the horizon, what better place to start than the home of three-time Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes. Despite Kansas City once again being expected to challenge for a championship, the Chiefs face another demanding schedule filled with potential playoff contenders. Those expectations and upcoming tests are reflected in the latest DraftKings NFL matchups, which suggest this season could prove just as challenging for Mahomes as the last. Even so, he will at least have Steel and Silver at home to cheer him up.
While these two adorable canines can’t compete with the 6 million instagram followers of Mahomes, they can boast an impressive 200K of their own. Steel, a pit bull, was a Valentine’s Day gift from Patrick to his then-girlfriend Brittany, when she was in college. The dog’s name was inspired by Brittany’s then love of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Silver, a cane corso, was adopted during Mahomes’ rookie year in the NFL.
Roscoe Hamilton: Lewis Hamilton
It’s not often that the death of a pet makes global news, but the sad passing of Lewis Hamilton’s much loved bulldog Roscoe, did just that. In September 2025, the seven time Formula One World Chammpion announced to his millions of fans that Roscoe had died after a short illness.
Roscoe was a popular presence around the Formua One paddock as he travelled the world with Hamilton. He accrued over 1 million instagram followers as his jet setting jaunts became popular with fans eager to get a peek in to the lifestyle of a super rich sports star and his playful pooch.
Incredibly, experts claim that Roscoe made over £200,000 through his Instagram page in 2024, with pictures of him driving his own black, miniature Mercedes G-Wagon with a personalised plate: R05 COE, particularly popular.
16 Cats: Alex Albon
While dogs are very popular amongst Formula One drivers, Alex Albon is definitely more of a cat person. The Williams F1 Team Driver owns 16 cats, a dog called Otti, a donkey, and two horses! The entourage are affectionately known as the “Albon Zoo”.
The animals, which he shares with his brother and two sisters, currently have over 350,000 instagram followers. Albon also claims a local deer is a regular visitor after befriending a herd of cows in the field next door to his house.
Boujee: “JuJu” Smith-Schuster
The New York Giants wide receiver is used to sharing the limelight with his famous French Bulldog, Boujee. The lovable pooch has become a huge social media star, amassing nearly 150K followers on instagram alone, thamnks to the pairs viral antics.
Boujee has made many guest appearances across various sports programs, documentaries, and even fashion shows. His popularity has led to many marketing deals and even his own line of pet clothing which he regularly models.
Hulk: Lionel Messi
He may be famous for being the best footballer in the world, but Lionel Messi is also well-known as the owner of Hulk, a Dogue de Bordeaux (French Mastiff), one of the most ancient of dog breeds.
Originally ifted to him by his wife, Antonela, in 2016, Hulk went viral in the summer of 2018 when video of him playing football in the garden with Messi was released online. The giant dog was seen running around the garden chasing a football while the Argentinian World Cup winner showed off his impressive skills.
Since moving to America to play for Inter Miami, Messi reluctantly left Hulk back at home in Barcelona as the plane journey would be too much for the ageing giant. However, Messi and family regularly visit and report that Hulk is well looked after and enjoying his “retirement” from football.
Reptiles: Mikki Moore
The former NBA player Mikki Moore is arguably more famous for his menagierie of exotic pets than for his on court career. However, with nine different NBA teams to his name, the former center undoubtedly has some impressive teams on his resume.
He first became interested in snakes and other reptiles when he was a kid playing in the woods in South Carolina. However, that affection turned into an addiction once his career took off, as Moore discovered that reptiles were the perfect pets for a professional athlete who’s often on the road for weeks at a time.
At one time, Moore reportedly had six pet snakes, including two Burmese pythons, a rainbow boa, a Columbian Red Tail boa, and a corn snake.
