There are some things in life that you can't dispute. McDonald's has the best Diet Coke (and possibly the best fast-food French fries, but only when they are piping hot and extra salty). Leggings do count as pants. The school drop-off lane is for well-timed tuck-and-roll exits and not lengthy goodbyes. Another truth not up for debate: There are few things cuter than a big, burly athlete holding a teeny-tiny baby or swooping their kids up for a sweaty post-match hug.
It doesn't matter if we see them live or after a regular game or a Super Bowl or World Series victory, or if we just follow them on Instagram. We can't help ourselves from crushing on the cutest sports dads out there. Maybe it's the visual of brawny arms (we do love a brawny arm) cradling a little baby, or the idea of some dad bods that include visible abs, or just the sweetness of seeing oh-so-tough athletes getting to be tender and fun with their littlest fans. Either way, we are big fans!
So please join us in enjoying a little eye candy as we celebrate the cutest sports dads out there.
Derek Jeter
Olivier Giroud
Even people who don't follow international soccer and who may never have heard of hunky A.C. Milan forward Olivier Giroud can almost certainly appreciate the following facts: He's bearded. He's French (that accent!). He has six-pack abs and soccer-player thighs. And he's also a doting dad to four kids. Here. For. IT.
Tom Daley
British diver Tom Daley has not only won multiple Olympic medals (while having truly some of the best abs at the Games), he's also a highly skilled knitter and a doting dad. He and husband Dustin Lance Black are parents to a 6-year-old son. We love a multitalented sports dad!
Tom Brady
Love him or hate him (and, truly, nobody ever seems neutral about him), there is really no denying that Tom Brady is a good looking dad dude. He has three kids and seems to be a committed parent, even though he can't seem to commit to staying retired from football.
A.J. Green
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver A.J. Green is 6 feet, 4 inches of really cute sports dad material. He's a proud father of sons Gunnar and Easton (who wants to grow up to be a football player like his daddy). Fans of both dimples and well-built forearms (hey, it's a thing!) are also big fans of Mr. Green.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most popular athletes in the world, with more than 477 million followers on Instagram. He regularly posts both thirst traps and pictures of his large family (he has five living children and suffered the loss of the sixth during childbirth).
Nathan Adrian
Olympic swimming great Nathan Adrian is a such a cute sports dad. And, given the size of his Speedo uniform, one that we've gotten to see a lot of over the years (this is not a complaint). Adrian, who is also a cancer survivor, is expecting his second child with his wife any day now.
