Cam Skattebo and dog Duke are stars of new, landmark NFL partnership unveiled before season opener

The NFL is entering the 2026 season with a first-of-its-kind commercial partnership that reaches well beyond the football field.

The league announced a multi-year agreement with The Farmer’s Dog , naming the company its first-ever Official Pet Food Partner.

The partnership will be introduced through a campaign built around New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo and his senior rescue dog, Duke.

Skattebo’s involvement isn't simply the result of a new endorsement. He said Duke has been part of his life long before his NFL career began, and the two were already customers of The Farmer’s Dog .

“I’ve had Duke for every high and every low,” Skattebo said. “He’s been my teammate long before football became my career. I started feeding him The Farmer’s Dog because I wanted as many healthy years with him as possible.”

The campaign also includes Skattebo ’s Dachshund puppies, Cheech and Daizy , while focusing on the quieter parts of his life away from football, from travel and recovery to the routines he shares with his dogs.

Deal will stretch across NFL calendar

The partnership is designed to extend well beyond advertising around regular-season games.

The Farmer’s Dog is expected to appear around major league events including Super Bowl LXI, the NFL Combine and the NFL Draft. It will also connect with community programs such as My Cause My Cleats, Salute to Service and NFL FLAG.

Tracie Rodburg , the NFL’s senior vice president of global partnerships, said the relationship between fans and their dogs offered the league a natural way to broaden its partnerships.

“The NFL is all about bringing people together through shared experiences and community,” Rodburg said.

“Dogs are an important part of many families, and as the Official Pet Food Partner, The Farmer’s Dog will help us celebrate the role they play in our lives and communities throughout the season.”

The Farmer’s Dog already has a foothold in the league through its existing relationship with the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders .

Its wider roster of partners also includes NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney , tennis player Jessica Pegula and The Oprah Podcast.

NFL’s newest category gets personal face

Skattebo ’s role gives the partnership an immediate connection to an active NFL player rather than relying only on league branding.

He said the opportunity also gives him a chance to encourage fans to think more carefully about their dogs’ health.

“If The Farmer’s Dog teaming up with the NFL gets even one more person thinking differently about what they feed their dog, that’s something I’m proud to be part of,” Skattebo said.

Jonathan Regev , CEO and co-founder of The Farmer’s Dog , linked that message directly to the culture surrounding elite athletes.

“We understand more than ever how much what we eat impacts our health and performance,” Regev said. “NFL players live that every day, and people increasingly recognize the same is true for their dogs.”

The announcement comes just as the NFL turns fully toward Week 1, but the timing also gives the league one final off-field headline before the games begin.

The 2026 season will start with a new sponsor, a new category and a campaign built around one of football’s more unexpected partnerships.