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Former Saints TE Jimmy Graham completes Arctic Challenge with crew, rowing 584 miles in record time

Former New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham is in the record books -- for rowing.

Graham and his team completed the Arctic Challenge, rowing roughly 584 nautical miles across the Arctic Ocean in a little over 10 days, per the Saints' official team website. The pace broke the previous record for a team of four -- 15 days, 5 hours and 32 minutes.

Graham joined a crew that included Andrew Tropp, Hannah Huppi and John Huppi. The team set out on July 4 from Tromsø, Norway and arrived in Longyearbyen, Svalbard on July 14.

The team set several firsts with its expedition: It was the first mixed-gender team of four to row across the Arctic Ocean and the first all-American team to row across a polar ocean. Graham became the first Black person to row a polar ocean. Hannah Huppi was the first American woman to row a polar ocean.

The crew used the voyage to help raise money for Covenant House New Orleans and Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans, with a goal of raising $1 million -- one dollar for every meter rowed.

Graham, 38, last played in the NFL in 2023, catching six passes for 39 yards and four scores in 13 games for New Orleans.

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