Athletes Celebrate the 4th of July

The Fourth of July celebrates the moment 13 colonies along the East Coast made their independence from Great Britain official—even if King George III didn't get the memo.

Whether you’re a citizen of these United States—or someone who just loves to live, visit or work here—July 4 needs no justification. We have it so good that even on the day set aside to celebrate the nation’s birthday, we get to do all the actual celebrating while the country goes about its business as usual.

Independence Day is about taking a break from "playing it cool" when it comes to showing how much you appreciate this land and wearing your patriotism on your sleeves (sometimes literally). It’s a day dedicated to hanging out with family and friends, eating an absurd amount of food cooked on a grill and finding the best spot to watch fireworks.

Athletes, like the rest of us, are enjoying the summertime revelry of the Fourth of July weekend—and sharing the moment with the rest of the world on Instagram. Some of them are celebrating Independence Day the same way many of us do, while others are swapping picnics for more swanky endeavors.

We’re looking for some of the best July 4 athlete pics and sharing them with you. And we’ll be updating the slideshow throughout the day and night—so check back!

Pierre Garcon, Washington Redskins

Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon was back in the nation’s capital for the Fourth of July weekend. His festivities on Saturday included taking in the Capitol Fourth fireworks show from the city’s Waterfront area.

Evan Turner, Boston Celtics

Celtics forward Evan Turner is definitely loving life with family and friends this weekend, putting your little family get-together to shame. That’s assuming your family get-together isn’t taking place on a yacht in Cabo.

Mark Herzlich, New York Giants

Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich is proof that enjoying yourself on the Fourth of July is all about the company you keep, rather than an exotic locale. He and his wife may be on the “rickety van” of boats with their dog on a lake in New Jersey, but they couldn’t look happier. Actually, the dog looks a little nervous, and rightfully so.

Meghan Hardin, LPGA

Golfer Meghan Hardin, of Big Break Atlantis fame, spent Saturday soaking up the sun with a boat full of friends and family on Lake Arrowhead in Southern California. It’s not truly Independence Day unless someone is donning a star-spangled bikini.

The Rock, WWE

No holidays off for WWE superstar The Rock, who is also known as actor Dwayne Johnson. Just in case you were under any misapprehensions about how he stays in such incredible shape—it has nothing to do with eating hotdogs and drinking red, white and blue-colored cocktails.

Dri Archer, Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers running back Dri Archer was looking mighty patriotic at the beach Saturday afternoon. Rocking American flag board shorts and a backpack that would make any 12-year-old girl jealous, Archer was surely one of the stars of South Beach.

Floyd Mayweather Jr, Boxer

Despite a prickly personality and a history of not playing well with others, it looks like Floyd Mayweather still gets invited to parties. Maybe it’s just because he can put together a holiday-themed outfit like nobody’s business.

Matt Stafford, Detroit Lions

Lions quarterback Matt Stafford and his new wife, Kelly (they married in April), take the Fourth of July holiday very seriously. Every year, they get together with family and friends for what looks to be an increasingly raucous gathering. Apparently this is the eighth straight year, and it's obviously still going strong.

Mikaela Shiffrin, U.S. Women's Alpine Skiing

American alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin celebrated in her native Vail, Colorado, on Saturday. The 20-year-old took gold in the women’s slalom at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers linebacker James Harrison isn’t kidding around when he calls himself the grill master. He has no less than three grills going in those photos, cooking for a party that’s large enough to require Porta Potties.

Alex Morgan, U.S. Women's Soccer

U.S. women’s soccer star Alex Morgan won’t be home this year to celebrate the holiday with family and friends, but clearly she’s not too down about it. Morgan and Team USA are in Canada awaiting their World Cup final against Japan on Sunday.

Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman is spending the Fourth of July holiday at a glorious resort on the Hawaiian island of Maui. He has been keeping active, rather than kicking back—alternating scuba diving and boogie boarding the last few days.

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander has an afternoon game against the Blue Jays at home in Detroit. He may not have the day off, but those red, white and blues are pretty sweet. And he’ll be home in time for dinner and fireworks. Pretty nice little Saturday.

Adam “Pacman” Jones, Cincinnati Bengals

Anyone nearby the home of Bengals cornerback Adam Jones is going to be in for an all-out assault on the senses tonight. Hopefully this whole situation isn’t as dangerous as it looks.

Amar'e Stoudemire, NBA Free Agent

With his free agency playing out at home, Amar’e Stoudemire is a world away this Fourth of July, seemingly without a care in the world. Stoudemire is living the good life in Monte Carlo, sipping cocktails on a yacht and rocking that hat as best he can.

Marcus Gilbert, Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert is on vacation for his Fourth festivities. On Friday, he posted this photo on Instagram, not long after arriving in the Mexican resort city of Cabo San Lucas.

Scottie Pippen, NBA Hall of Fame

Former Bulls great Scottie Pippen will be in New York City with family and friends this Fourth of July. Actually, it’s double the holiday for the Pippen clan in the Big Apple, with his wife celebrating a birthday this weekend as well.

Patrick Willis, Retired NFL

In March (now former) 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis stunned the sports world when he announced he’d be retiring from the game at the age of 30. Though he cited health reasons, now it’s hard to imagine competitive fishing with his brother didn’t have a little something to do with it.

J.J. Watt, Houston Texans

Texans defensive end J.J. Watt clearly doesn’t have the time to devote to fishing that Patrick Willis does. That being said, after Watt’s season for the ages in 2014, let’s say we give the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year a pass on his puny catch.

Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals

With nearly a full month until veterans have to report to training camp, Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson is working on an entirely different game this weekend. Soaking up the sun and scenery in and around the Four Seasons in Costa Rica, Peterson has been getting out on the greens to golf and loving every minute of it.

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

In what is becoming an annual tradition, Miami Heat center Chris Bosh is spending the offseason traveling the globe with his family. Last week, they were at Stonehenge in England, and this week, it appears they’ll be celebrating Independence Day in Germany.

Vontae Davis, Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Vontae Davis got married in a stunning destination wedding about a week ago. The newlyweds are still overseas this weekend, enjoying their honeymoon on the Greek island of Mykonos.

Aaron Murray, Kansas City Chiefs

Enjoying the last of the offseason free time before heading back to Kansas City for the rest of the year, Chiefs backup quarterback Aaron Murray caught a fireworks show over a lake in Georgia.

Tara Lipinski, Former Olympic Figure Skater

Former Olympic figure skater Tara Lipinski is spending the holiday weekend on Kiawah Island, in what might be the most patriotic plantation-style home in all of South Carolina. When she’s not posing joyfully near flags, she’s strolling wistfully near fountains. Lipinski has found a little time to kick back in the pool, too.

Ray-Ray Armstrong, Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong is enjoying the final weeks of the offseason before returning to the grueling grind of the NFL schedule. There are few better places to soak up the summer sun than from a balcony aboard a swanky boat.

Paula Creamer, LPGA

LPGA star Paula Creamer is clearly getting geared up for the holiday weekend ahead. Either that or her tiny dog Studley is exceptionally patriotic and wears that bandanna year-round.

Kam Chancellor, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor is hanging in his native Virginia this holiday weekend. If you’re out and about in Norfolk or Virginia Beach, keep a lookout for Chancellor, who has been cruising around town on a bike.

Rudy Gay, Sacramento Kings

On Friday, Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay posted this photo of he and point guard Rajon Rondo hanging together on a private plane. It came right around the same time it was reported by ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Jeff Goodman that Sacramento had agreed on a one-year deal worth $9.5 million with Rondo.

Apparently Gay was instrumental in luring his close friend to California’s capital, per Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears (h/t CSN Bay Area).

Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker and his lovely wife, Amanda, are currently on a tour of Italy that began two weeks ago and shows no signs of slowing down. They began in Venice and worked their way south to Rome. As of Friday, the Tuckers are in stunning Positano, just south of Naples.

Cam Atkinson, Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets winger Cam Atkinson was in Columbus on Friday for the big fireworks event. Atkinson teased the event nine hours earlier on Instagram, posting this video taken from his balcony in the early afternoon. He followed it up with the fireworks grand finale, which was pretty damn impressive.

A.J. McCarron, Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals backup quarterback A.J. McCarron spent most of his rookie season rehabbing a shoulder injury, failing to make much of a mark last year in Cincinnati. McCarron still makes a splash in his native Alabama, though, especially when he shows up to Orange Beach with wife Katherine Webb on his arm.

Collin McHugh, Houston Astros

Just because it’s a holiday doesn’t mean everyone gets the weekend (or even a day!) off. Houston Astros pitcher Collin McHugh will have to wait for the All-Star break to celebrate America’s independence because, starting Friday, he has 10 road games in three cities over 10 days. McHugh is making the most of things in Boston, seeing the sights in between games against the Red Sox.

C.J. Mosley, Baltimore Ravens

Back home in Alabama for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley is celebrating with his own family fireworks extravaganza! Mobile isn’t going to know what hit it. Baltimore brass might want to check back over the next few days and make sure Mosley didn’t lose a limb during the festivities.

Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat

Aging Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade has been dealing with some offseason contract drama over the past few weeks, but apparently not anything serious enough to interrupt his holiday plans with actress Gabrielle Union, his wife of just under a year.

Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat

Clearly the Wades are having the best Fourth of July ever. In addition to kicking back on a boat together and getting snuggly with Budweiser, the couple visited a place in the Bahamas known as Pig Beach on Friday. The uninhabited island is home to a number of feral pigs and has become a very popular destination among tourists visiting nearby islands.