Coach Snoop Dogg for Team USA in the Winter Olympics

Rapper and entertainment icon Snoop Dogg has taken an unexpected but highly visible role with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. IT's coach Snoop Dogg for Team USA! Let the Winter games begin!

The USOPC officially named Snoop Dogg as Team USA’s first-ever honorary coach, a historic first for the organization. The honorary title doesn’t involve traditional athletic coaching but is designed to celebrate, support and energize America’s athletes on and off the field of play. If rizz was an Olympic event, Snoop would be going for the gold.

Snoop shared that he’s excited to bring his voice, energy and motivation to the Olympic team. He said the real stars are the athletes themselves, and his job is to “cheer, uplift and maybe drop a little wisdom from the sidelines” as Team USA competes on ice and snow in February. His new role builds on his Olympic visibility: at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, Snoop served as a special correspondent for NBC, carried the Olympic torch and appeared frequently in coverage and special segments that broadened the appeal of the Games.

We may not know all the Olympians, but we know Snoop Dogg. Snoop helped us relate and care about the Olympics again, but this started earlier than 2024. Snoop Dogg’s Olympic connection really began during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, when NBC’s streaming service Peacock paired him with Kevin Hart for a series called Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg. The two watched events like dressage, fencing, and gymnastics and offered unscripted, comedic commentary. (**video contains NSFW language**)

As honorary coach, Snoop will also help promote athlete awareness and fundraising efforts, including special Team USA merchandise collaborations that support training, education and athlete wellness programs. The USOPC emphasized that his connection with athletes feels genuine and reflects the community and mentorship Snoop has championed for years. The Snoop Youth Football League has supported tens of thousands of young athletes.

While some critics question mixing entertainment personalities with elite sport, many see Snoop’s appointment as a positive way to expand Olympic engagement and celebrate the broader journey of athletes. I, for one, am down with this. Since Snoop got involved people are more interested in the Olympics. Snoop has brought a cool factor back to The Games and he shows that you don't have to know everything about every sport to enjoy it.

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