Jerome Bettis’ Pickleball Passion: NFL legend Jerome Bettis, a Super Bowl XL champion and Pro Football Hall of Famer, has found a new passion in retirement: pickleball. Introduced to the game by his wife, Trameka Bettis, Bettis now sees the sport as a central activity for his family, despite battling a knee injury.
Bettis Family Bond Grows Through Pickleball
Bettis, who retired from the NFL in 2006 after helping the Pittsburgh Steelers win a championship, credits his wife for drawing him into the sport.
“My wife has brought me more and more into the sport. I’m hearing about pickleball all the time. She’s sending me Instagram posts with messages like ‘Watch this play!’ so I’m learning how to play the game without actually being on the court,” said Bettis in a March interview at a golf event in Frisco, Texas.
While Trameka takes weekly lessons in Atlanta, the couple has made pickleball part of their vacation routines, often rallying friends and family to play. Their 17-year-old son, Jerome Bettis Jr., a wide receiver at the University of Notre Dame, is leading the way.
“When we go on vacation, though, we’ll get a good group together and we’ll all get out there and play. My son, Jerome Bettis Jr., is probably the best pickleball player out of all of us. He’s 17 years old, so he’s super active and he can run around and get to every ball.” – (Bettis)
Friendly Rivalries Heat Up at Home
Even with a nagging lower-body injury, Bettis remains eager to compete—especially with his wife and son.
“We’ve all kind of come together around pickleball, and it has become a big part of the daily routine for my wife. As for me, not so now because my knee has started to hurt me maybe the last six or seven months, so it’s been less and less.” – (Bettis)
“But, we’ve got a challenge coming up pretty soon because my wife feels that she can beat me. We’re going to go out there and go head-to-head. I told her when she’s ready, she gets one shot at the title. We’ll see what happens.” – (Bettis)
Bettis also teased an upcoming match against his son.
“He likes pickleball for recreation and his ability to talk sh*t. He wants to own the conversation, and right now, he does. We have a very competitive household. I raised my kids to be competitive in whatever it is we do. We’re going to fight and we’re going to talk smack. Own it. Right now, he’s the king of the hill, so he enjoys putting pressure on all of us when we play. Until he’s dethroned, he’s the mayor. Once I get this replaced and get this figured out, I’m coming for him. I promise you.” – (Bettis)
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First Pro Pickleball Event Seals His Interest
Bettis’ growing love for the game deepened after attending his first professional pickleball event, MLP Atlanta, in May 2024 at Life Time Peachtree Corners.
“I was really impressed with how the game is covered. From a fan perspective, it’s pretty neat. You’re up on the action, and you’re seeing it’s very fast-paced. That’s one thing I really like because you get a chance to feel the energy of it – ‘Boom! Boom! Boom!’ – and everyone’s getting into it. Once you see the pros play live, you get a totally different perspective of what pickleball is and what it can be.” – (Bettis)
“The spin players are putting on the ball, where they’re placing the shots, it’s next level. You see the pros do something and it’s like, ‘I want to learn how to do that.’ You want to add that to your game. I hope everyone who plays pickleball gets a chance to see the pros play.” – (Bettis)
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A New Ambassador for a Growing Sport
With Bettis now part of the pickleball community, the sport has gained another high-profile supporter. Bettis says the game reminds him of racquetball, a sport he loved when younger.
“What I love most about pickleball is the activity that you get. I loved playing racquetball as a younger guy. I love that quick pace, stop-start element, and that’s what I get out of pickleball. It’s just a fun game that you can play with everyone, and that’s the biggest benefit of all, that everyone can play together.” – (Bettis)
News in Brief: Jerome Bettis’ Pickleball Passion
NFL Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis has embraced pickleball thanks to his wife Trameka and their son, Jerome Bettis Jr. Despite dealing with a knee injury, Bettis is hooked on the game and plans to compete with his family soon. His first pro pickleball event impressed him with its speed and energy.
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