‘Backpack’ crowned winner of Fat Bear Week
Katmai National Park Ranger Troy Hunt joins Lawrence Jones, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade to celebrate Bear 89, known as ‘Backpack,’ winning the annual Fat Bear Week championship. Hunt explains how the 16-bear tournament works, the origin of ‘Backpack’s’ unique name and why gaining weight is crucial for survival during the upcoming six-month winter hibernation.
While most people spend their retired years relaxing on a beach somewhere or RV-ing across the country, former Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Rob Havenstein had different ideas.
The recently retired Super Bowl champion recently went on a hunting trip in Alaska, and while you’d assume some of his trophies would include moose or elk, Havenstein was feeling a little more bold.
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Rob Havenstein No. 79 of the Los Angeles Rams blocks during the fourth quarter of an NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Nov. 9, 2025, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Getty Images)
The 34-year-old former left tackle posted a carousel of photos from the trip on his official Instagram page on Thursday, and the main focus of the hunting trip was an absolutely massive brown bear.
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And when I say “massive,” I mean you’re probably not ready for the size of this thing.
There aren’t many living things on this planet that can make an NFL offensive tackle look tiny, but this majestic creature absolutely dwarfs Havenstein in every picture it’s in.
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“I knew when I retired that I wanted to go somewhere wild, experience something outside of my comfort zone and chase incredible critters,” Havenstein wrote in his post. “Alaskan Brown Bear presented that opportunity.”
“The main goal was obviously to hunt a mature brown bear, but what I took home with me was so much more than that. Appreciation for these incredible animals and the beautiful habitat they live in.”
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – JULY 30: A Brown bear catches salmon at the top of Brooks Falls at Katmai National Park and Preserve on July 30, 2025 in Alaska. (Photo by Hu Xiaolin/VCG via Getty Images) (Hu Xiaolin/VCG via Getty Images)
Havenstein goes on to thank everyone that helped him in his hunt while dedicating the second half of his Instagram carousel to the other parts of his Alaskan trip.
There are pictures of the lake he fished on, the massive wild salmon he caught, and his camping situation.
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Truly an outdoorsman’s dream!
A brown bear stands in a river hunting for salmon at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska in September 2021. Two U.S. Army soldiers were attacked by a brown bear in Anchorage on Thursday, April 16, 2026, a military spokesperson said. (Lian Law/U.S. National Park Service/Reuters)
I’m not a big fan of cold weather, but Havenstein’s pictures and stories make me want to book the next flight to The Last Frontier for a camping weekend ASAP.
He may be retired from the NFL, but Havenstein might have a future as a hunting influencer if he keeps this up.
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Happy hunting, Rob!
