What is a professional football player doing on a snowboard? That was the question we had after stumbling upon a recent photo of Houston Texans linebacker Kevin Bentley decked out in full on-snow regalia in ESPN The Magazine (Aug. 9 issue 13.16). The article in reference details the "side hustles" of mainstream pro athletes, from wine making to cattle breeding. Bentley's hustle? Teaching snowboarding.
Turns out, Bentley is a Cert II-level instructor who has been teaching snowboarding during the NFL offseason in Vail, Colo. -- for $14 an hour! -- since 2004. How is it that a guy who needs every muscle, ligament and joint in his body to be in peak condition every day of the football season is even allowed to look at a snowboard, much less step foot on one? We had to find out.
ESPN.com: So Kevin, for the snowboarders reading who may not follow the NFL closely, could you run down your list of stats?
Bentley: My football history? I was drafted to Cleveland in the fourth round, played three years there. Then I went to Seattle, played three years -- went to the Super Bowl [in 2006]. This is my third year in Houston. So this is my ninth year playing pro football.
What's the average career length in the NFL?
Oh, about three years. [Laughs.]
On to snowboarding ... how do they let you do it? Isn't it in your contract that you can't? What if you hurt yourself?
I don't know. It's not in my contract.
They don't give you a hard time?
Hell no.
