It’s that time of year again. The time when a handful of the best athletes in the world bare it all for ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue and make us simple folk feel vastly inferior.
The 2017 edition, which marks the ninth year for the annual issue, features a array of different athletes and personalities, from 5-foot-9 All-Star Isaiah Thomas to Kirstie Ennis, the first veteran to appear in the special issue. There are teammates, such as San Jose Sharks bearded wonders Brent Burns and Joe Thornton, and there’s even a husband-and-wife combo, with Eagles tight end Zach Ertz and his USWNT soccer star Jule (née Johnston).
All-in-all, there are 23 athletes from 13 different sports featured. The are a number of different covers, including ones that will feature Thomas, Cubs second baseman Javier Baez, UFC’s Michelle Waterson, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and former World No. 1 tennis player Caroline Wozniacki.
“I don’t know if people really understand how much work we put into our craft,” says Elliott. “We play such a brutal game. Working out by itself is a hard task, but keeping our body together is tough because we play this brutal sport week in and week out. It’s hard.”
Here’s a complete look at all the info you need to know about this year’s issue:
2017 ESPN Body Issue Details
Full Online Debut: Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Newsstands Release Date: Friday, July 7, 2017
List of Athletes:
A.J. Andrews, Softball, Akron Racers
Javier Baez, Baseball, Chicago Cubs
Brent Burns & Joe Thornton, Hockey, San Jose Sharks
Julian Edelman, Football, New England Patriots
Ezekiel Elliott, Football, Dallas Cowboys
Kirstie Ennis, Snowboarding (Marine Veteran)
Zach Ertz, Football, Philadelphia Eagles
Julie Ertz, Soccer, USWNT/Chicago Red Stars
Malakai Fekitoa, Rugby, New Zealand
Gus Kenworthy, Skiing
Nneka Ogwumike, Basketball, Los Angeles Sparks
Isaiah Thomas, Basketball, Boston Celtics
U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team (Brianna Decker, Kacey Bellamy, Meghan Duggan, Jocelyne Lamoureux, Monique Lamoureux, Alex Rigsby)
Ashley Wagner, Figure Skating
Michelle Waterson, Mixed Martial Arts, UFC
Novlene Williams-Mills, Track & Field, 400m
Caroline Wozniacki, Tennis
