Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture

Video: This dog has the absolute best job in sports

This dog loves football as much as we do

Shannon Cooper
By

Move over Air Bud, there’s a new sweetheart of the sports world and his name is Ripken. The black Labrador retriever has gained popularity both locally and on social media as a bat dog and a tee retriever—and his newest viral TikTok has everyone hyped for football season. But you don’t have to be a football fan to love this good boy. Keep reading to get to know a bit about Ripken and watch some of his best plays.

Meet Ripken, the Bat Dog

Whether you’re a sports fan or a dog lover, you may already know this beloved TikTok pooch. Ripken (@RipkenTheBatDog) gained internet fame as the hardest-working pup in minor league baseball. He’s the Official Bat Dog for the Durham Bulls, where his job duties include fetching bats after hitters are done and generally being adorable. But now that baseball season is over, Ripken has turned his talents to another sport: college football.

Recommended Videos

Football season is here

@ripkenthebatdog

Are you Hype? I’m Hype too!! @pack_football @collegegameday @espn @GoPro @TODAY Show #win #hype #college #collegefootball #fyp #viral #getsome

♬ I Think I Like When It Rains – WILLIS

Now that fall has arrived, fans can spot Ripken collecting tees at North Carolina State football games. The six-year-old black lab comes from a family of dog football stars; his father, Cowboy Kohl, was a tee retriever at Boise State University. This is Ripken’s second season with the Wolfpack, and he’s only gaining popularity as a crowd favorite and social media star.

While his whole TikTok page is full of gems, one of his most recent videos has gone majorly viral with over 4.9 million views. Using a GoPro camera strapped to the pup’s back, the POV video gives viewers a unique view of what it’s like to be a working dog. The clip shows Ripken sitting and waiting patiently on the sideline for his big moment. After a quick pep talk and head pat from the coach, the pup finally gets to show off his skills. Amidst the cheers of a packed stadium, Ripken triumphantly retrieves the tee!

Everyone loves Ripken

NC State college football stadium
Image used with permission by copyright holder

After watching that video, it’s clear why everyone adores Ripken. “Every dog’s dream. Fetch and gets cheered on. Hope he gets all the treats in the world,” comments @littlechaos0627. “I love hearing the crowd get so loud for Ripken 🥰 he deserves it!” says @brittneygardiner5. The creator even responded to say that the cheers make Ripken run faster. Even the students love the sports dog. @josh.haughton wrote, “as an NC State student, we cheer louder for him than anything else in the game.” Who wouldn’t?

Are you ready for some dog football? Ripken sure is! From fetching tees to hanging out with the players, this adorable pup truly has the best job in sports. He’s captivated the hearts of everyone online and turned us all into football fans. We think we speak for everyone when we say: with Ripken on the field, we’ll be tuning in all season long. (Now if only all of our favorite sports teams could get themselves a team dog.)

Editors' Recommendations

Shannon Cooper
Shannon Cooper
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Shannon Cooper has written about everything from pet care and travel to finance and plumbing in her seven years as a writer…
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the U.S., alpine touring (2nd) and splitboarding (5th) also rank high
Some like small courts, some like wide-open backcountry
A group of people playing a game of pickleball.

The stats are in for 2023, and it tells us that Pickleball is the undeniable frontrunner in growth over the past four years. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the racket sport has grown over 170% in the past four years. But it's not alone in seeing enormous growth. Sports participation has continued to grow as we move out of the pandemic, including several outdoor activities — most notably winter sports — and previously fringe sports.

Ingrained in our human nature is the need to feel part of something big that connects us to others. Movements, sports, and ideologies all fit this bill, and the more people who take part, the more we feel validated in our desire to play or push ourselves in that sport. Marginalized or new sports may appeal to those willing to take a risk on an all-new activity, but until that sport gets some traction, you might end up spending hundreds of dollars on a short-lived hobby.

Read more
Ranked: The 11 best Tom Hanks movies ever
From a toy cowboy to Mr. Rogers, Tom Hanks has played it all. Here are our favorite performances
Tom Hanks in The Post

When it comes to beloved actors in Hollywood, there are several names that come to mind. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are legends of dramatic film. Jim Carrey is a comedy icon like no other. Still, when you take into account both funny and serious work, Tom Hanks is probably America's most relatable actor. Appearing in nearly 100 films since the 1980s, Hanks has lent his talents to directors like Stephen Spielberg and Ron Howard, earning himself multiple Academy Awards along the way.

It's always a good time to appreciate the greatness of Tom Hanks. We'll go over the 10 best performances of his career, a list that is both diverse and focused. Any cinema fan is sure to find something they can enjoy when they take a look at a list of the best Tom Hanks movies, and they can look forward to more as he continues to pursue new and interesting projects today in his mid-60s.

Read more
The 10 best Timothee Chalamet movies ever, ranked
He's definitely been in some incredible films
Timothee Chalamet in Call Me By Your Name.

 

During a time when Hollywood has tried to grasp onto older stars like Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise, other young men from a new generation have attempted to carve out their path to stardom and take the movie world by storm. In this regard, not many male actors working today have experienced the success of Timothée Chalamet. With a boyish grin and a sculpted jawline, Chalamet's raw charisma allows him to play characters in a variety of genres, from wounded teenagers in LGBTQ+ dramas to heroic protagonists in sci-fi flicks. Still under 30 years old, Chalamet's career is just getting started, but he already has a grand portfolio of award-winning performances. These are the 10 best Timothée Chalamet movies ever, ranked.

Read more