There won’t be a weekend without NFL football until February, and game day can be made just a little bit nicer with the right whiskey in hand.

Interestingly, whiskey and pro football have more of a connection than just game-day sipping (or shots, if your team is stinking up the field). Quite a few whiskey – and other spirits – brands have official connections to NFL teams and entities.

Here are a few, for your game-day planning. 

Woodson Whiskey/Las Vegas Raiders and Pro Football Hall of Fame

Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson was a long-time Raider, and he won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers. He launched his Woodson Whiskey brand in 2021. It has since become the official whiskey of the Las Vegas (formerly Oakland) Raiders as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In fact, prior to last season, he launched a 65th Anniversary edition to honor the team’s longevity. In July of this year, Woodson Whiskey was named an official partner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Those are pretty strong credentials for a whiskey brand represented by a former NFL star.

“It’s an incredible honor for Woodson Whiskey to be recognized as an Official Partner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Woodson said. “The Hall represents the very best of the game and the legacy of those who have given everything to football. Together, we plan to help celebrate the excellence and tradition that continues to inspire generations of players and fans alike.”

Sagamore Spirit/Baltimore Ravens

Heading east, Sagamore Spirit recently released its third annual Limited Edition Baltimore Ravens Festivus Maximus Small Batch Rye Whiskey. This one honors the Ravens’ first-ever Super Bowl championship win in 2000, continuing the partnership with the team that launched in 2023.

“All of us at Sagamore Spirit are proud to honor the Baltimore Ravens 1st World Championship with this commemorative bottle of our award winning small batch rye whiskey,” Ryan Norwood, VP of Operations at Sagamore Spirit, said in a news release. “We are excited about our continued partnership with the team and hope both whiskey and football fans enjoy this new limited edition release.”

Bottled at 46.5% ABV, the rye whiskey is available at the Sagamore Spirit distillery and select Maryland retailers for $39.99 SRP.

Breckenridge Distillery/Denver Broncos

Last year, Denver-based Breckenridge Distillery, in cooperation with the Denver Broncos and former players Ed McCaffrey and Randy Gradishar, launched Broncos Country blends (bottled at 87 proof to represent McCaffrey’s jersey number). Not only is Breckenridge the official whiskey of the Broncos, but it also makes the official vodka. The brand also has an exclusive club at the team’s stadium. The brand has been an official sponsor of the Broncos since 2021.

This year, Broncos fans can choose from the new Broncos Honey Whiskey, a nostalgic Creamsicle Vodka Seltzer, a camo-wrapped Breckenridge Bourbon honoring the 2015 Championship, and a rare Single Barrel Championship Reserve bottle (with only 250 released).

“This year’s collection is a true celebration of Colorado, of championship legacy, and of Broncos Country,” Bryan Nolt, founder of Breckenridge Distillery, said. “From the rare, harvested honey in our Broncos Honey Whiskey to the nostalgia-packed Vodka Creamsicle Seltzer, we’ve created something special for every kind of fan.”

Southern Distilling/Carolina Panthers

Since 2023, North Carolina-based Southern Distilling has been the official bourbon of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. Last season, the distillery celebrated the team’s 30th anniversary with a Paragon Cognac finish expression of Southern Star Cask Strength Paragon Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey. 

“I grew up here in North Carolina and I’m proud to call it home,” Southern Spirits co-founder and CEO Pete Barger said when the partnership was announced. “Supporting the Panthers is something I’ve been doing for a long time and I’m looking forward to raising a glass of Southern Star while singing along to ‘Sweet Caroline’ after what I hope will be many wins this season.”

Detroit Lions/Grit City

This one is a bit of a reverse – Grit City Whiskey and Vodka were actually released by the Detroit Lions last season, in part to celebrate the return of the team’s black jerseys. The spirits were produced in cooperation with BOTLD, an independent bottler that works with multiple distilling partners across the U.S.

“It’s exciting to launch Grit City Spirits as it commemorates Lions history, Detroit pride and creates a unique touchpoint for fans as we welcome the return of the black uniform, now called ‘Motor City Muscle’,” Detroit Lions Vice President of Corporate Partnerships Mace Aluia said upon the Grit City release. “From our fan’s personal Den to any given tailgate, the inaugural  

BONUS: Kōloa Rum/Las Vegas Raiders

Another Raiders partnership – Hawaii-based Kōloa Rum became the official rum of the team in 2021. Last year, the brand launched two different Raiders-themed spirits, a 65th anniversary spiced rum and a Rum Rusher canned cocktail.

In addition, Maker’s Mark has released numerous NFL-related expressions, Crown Royal has released special NFL team expressions, Jameson Irish whiskey has partnered with the Philadelphia Eagles, Peyton Manning has his Sweetens Cove brand and Joe Montana launched his own expression with Gold Bar Whiskey, among many others.

Seems with all those choices, football fans across the land should be ready for kickoff.

-Kevin Gibson