Michael Phelps has been named the honorary captain for this week’s Michigan football game.
Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh has brought in honorary captains each week of his tenure. Some are former players, some are inspirational figures, some are athletes of other sports, like Hank Aaron and Derek Jeter.
This week against Penn State, the honor goes to Michael Phelps.
Phelps spoke to the team earlier this summer during team camp and Michigan’s players said they haven’t forgotten his message.
“It was really cool to see what kind of athlete he is, for him to come and talk to us and give us insight about how he recovered his body, all the training he does and how he didn’t take any days off,” offensive lineman Zak Zinter told the Detroit Free Press. “Just kind of taking his mindset into this week and getting ready to go for a top 10 opponent.”
Michael Phelps won 28 Olympic medals during his career, including a record eight gold in Beijing.
He went to college at the University of Michigan, but did not swim for the Wolverines since he was a professional. He swam for Club Wolverine during his time in Ann Arbor. He is a big football fan, supporting his hometown Baltimore Ravens in the NFL and the Michigan Wolverines in college.
Phelps is the most accomplished Olympian in history, with 23 gold and 28 total medals. He swam at five Olympics, from 2000 to 2016. He won six gold medals in Athens in 2004, then went 8-for-8 in golds in 2008 in Beijing. He retired after the 2012 Olympics and returned to win five gold and a silver in Rio in 2016. He’s also a 26-time long-course World Champion.
How many classes did he actually take at Michigan? Any plans for him to complete his degree like you sometimes hear NFL players doing even if it’s a decade after leaving for the NFL?