Former Texas A&M Walk-On Becomes First Aggie Winter Olympian

A former Texas A&M football player has become the first Winter Olympian in the history of Texas A&M Athletics.

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Boone Niederhofer (82) makes a reception during the third quarter as LSU Tigers linebacker Kendell Beckwith (52) defends at Kyle Field. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The American south is not known for its wintry climate. As a result, winter sports do not have a strong hold on the culture. This is reflected in the concentration of athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Over 200 American athletes headed to Italy for the Olympic Games; only 18 came from below the 35th parallel, based on NBC’s data.

Among the four Texans represented, there is a first for Texas A&M Athletics. The Aggies will have their first athlete to ever appear in the Winter Olympics — Boone Niederhofer, who is also the lone representative of the SEC.

Boone Niederhofer Makes Texas A&M History at 2026 Winter Olympics

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Boone Niederhofer (82) lines up during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

Niederhofer is a former walk-on wide receiver who played at Texas A&M from 2012–2016. Coming from San Antonio, Niederhofer attended Churchill High School, where he graduated in 2012.

He was a multi-sport athlete and a captain for the football team, earning first-team all-district honors and All-Area Super Team honors from the San Antonio Express-News. While at Texas A&M, his success was about more than football — he was named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll four times.

His redshirt sophomore season in 2014 was the most involved he was in Texas A&M’s offense. He played in all 13 games and started against Mississippi State, catching eight passes for 69 yards. That season, he recorded 29 receptions for 293 yards and a touchdown, averaging 10.1 yards per catch. He stepped up as the team dealt with injuries out wide.

After football, Niederhofer put the skills he learned into practice in a new sport: bobsledding. According to Travis L. Brown of KBTX, Niederhofer was approached by another former Texas A&M football player, Sam Moeller, in 2018 about giving bobsledding an opportunity.

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Boone Niederhofer (82) runs with the ball during the 2013 Maroon and White Texas A&M spring game at Kyle Field in College Station, TX. | Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Niederhofer tore his ACL during his redshirt senior season, leaving him without the opportunity to participate in Texas A&M’s pro day. But the former walk-on-turned-scholarship athlete showed the determination that had taken him that far, repurposing his talent in a new field.

“Football is a blue-collar sport, and bobsled is very much that exact same way,” Niederhofer said to Brown. “There’s a lot of work that goes into it. We go fast. We can crash occasionally. So, you have to be pretty tough to be in this sport to begin with.”

The former wide receiver missed the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which left his future in the sport in doubt. Relocating to Midland, Texas, he worked in oil and energy before giving bobsledding another opportunity.

He qualified for the four-man team for the 2026 Olympics as a pusher, which puts Niederhofer’s foot speed and strength to the test. Pushing from the right side as a three-man, his job is to get the 400-pound sled to full speed in about 50 meters. After that, it is the brakeman and driver's responsibility to control the sled.

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Boone Niederhofer (82) catches a pass during the fourth quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

Niederhofer, now 32, has kept his athletic career going longer than most in his position. Going from a walk-on to an Olympian, his story has been one of determination and resilience, learning how to step up when the opportunity presents itself.

His story as an athlete is mirrored in his teammates. Frank Del Duca was a state champion in Maine as a slalom skier and triple jumper. Kris Horn was an All-American in the pentathlon, decathlon and distance medley relay at UMass. Caleb Furnell was an All-WAC honoree in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints at Utah Valley.

Now, they come together to compete for their country. The four-man bobsled heats begin on Feb. 21 as Team USA looks to medal for the first time since 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Chris Fogt, a member of that silver-medalist team, is the coach for Team USA in 2026.