Celebs Who Have Starred In Progressive Commercials
Insurance commercials and the NFL go together like chips and queso dip on gameday. Fans know Patrick Mahomes as the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, but they also know him from his State Farm commercials. He was joined in the State Farm family by Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers — and, according to advertising data firm EDO, there's a good reason for this. "For State Farm, when Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes are featured in the ads during a game they're playing in, there's a huge boost in excess performance on a per person basis of people searching for State Farm," EDO explained, via CNBC.
When it comes to the success of State Farm's sports marketing, other insurance companies like Allstate and Progressive are following the same playbook. According to The Washington Post, recent Progressive ads satirize millennials who are afraid of becoming like their parents when they insure their first house. But the fictional Dr. Rick (Bill Glass) isn't the only Progressive persona resonating with viewers! You may (or may not) know that Progressive has also invested in NFL talent.
Current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield starred in an "At Home with Baker Mayfield" series with Progressive, which showed him living in a football stadium and treating it as if it were his home. The brand has also worked with Buffalo Bills stars Von Miller and Stefon Diggs, so you could say that for NFL players, insurance commercials are the new Nike.
Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield was the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns when he starred in Progressive's "At Home with Baker Mayfield" ads, which resonated with more than just sports fans. Sporting News ran a ranking of the funniest ads in the series, and even actors like Rainn Wilson had something to say about the hilarious spots. In 2022, Mayfield shared that Progressive had decided to axe the commercials after the Browns traded him to the Carolina Panthers. Per SI, the quarterback revealed in a press conference that he'd wanted to "do a moving out version," featuring him relocating from FirstEnergy to Bank of America Stadium, but Progressive didn't bite.
Fans seemed to agree with Mayfield's assessment that this was "a missed opportunity." In fact, they had their own pitches. "Can't wait for the Baker commercial where he packs up his bags and moves out of the Browns stadium. Then Deshaun Watson walks up and says, 'Hello, I just moved in down the street and I'm legally required to inform you...'" one person tweeted. Others shared their own takes on what a "moving out" version of the ads would look like.
Not everyone loved Mayfield in the Progressive ads, though. Speaking on the "Undisputed with Skip and Shannon" podcast (via Sportskeeda), sports columnist Skip Bayless skewered the QB for continuing to act in them while playing poorly. "It's a terrible look for a quarterback who has proven next to nothing," Bayless said.
Von Miller & Stefon Diggs
Buffalo Bills players Von Miller and Stefon Diggs offer good entertainment value, for their fashion sense as much as their on-the-field plays. Like Joe "Brrr," Miller embraces a gameday fit, the louder the better. Likewise, fans consider Diggs to be fashion-forward. Therefore, a Progressive commercial where they both arrive in the same gold leather pregame outfit is perfectly on brand. The ad, titled "Replay," features both athletes throwing a flag and checking the replay to determine who gets the rights to the outfit. Ultimately, Miller has the last word.
Fans had a field day with it, especially on Reddit. "I can actually see them having a similar conversation in real life," one person wrote. Another said, "it was actually a pretty funny commercial," while a third chimed in, "Surprisingly great actors for athletes, this is hilarious."
The athletes-turned-actors had a great time with it too. In October 2023, Diggs sat down with SI and spoke about his decision to star in the spot. "It was just something that jumped out at me, especially knowing that my teammate was going to be involved. The whole concept of throwing a flag and challenging a play, I felt that was very creative ... It was fun," he said. Bills Mafia definitely agrees.
Christopher Reid & Christopher Martin
When Progressive isn't leaning into NFL athletes, it's still catering to millennials and Gen Z'ers. How? In November 2023, the insurance company tapped hip-hop duo Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin — of Kid n' Play — to bring some humor to a football watch party. In the vein of Von Miller and Stefon Diggs, Reid and Martin misunderstand each other on what constitutes a "watch party" versus a "party-party," and they have to check the replay. The ad also nods to hip hop by including a trending track from Flyana Boss.
This homage to the hip hop genre wasn't lost on the rappers, who told Forbes they were "very pleased" with how the ad came out. "We're both optimistic that people will enjoy the commercial. We're right in the middle of football season, and Progressive Insurance is a very progressive type of company in terms of how they promote themselves and their different commercial campaigns," Reid said. Fans were also on board; in some instances, Kid n' Play was more of a draw than the actual football games. "The Kid n' Play Progressive commercial has been the best moment of any of these games," one user posted on X in November 2023.
LL Cool J
When it comes to rappers, Progressive's pockets run deep. In late 2023, the legendary LL Cool J was featured in a spot alongside the fictional Dr. Rick, who attempted to prevent a homeowner from acting like his parents. In this instance, that means not fanboying over LL Cool J at the grocery store. Ultimately, said homeowner (Keith) couldn't keep his cool, but fans were here for the cringeworthy interaction.
"All of these [Progressive] commercials are gold man," one person commented in response to a repost of the spot on TikTok. Another person wrote, "Next time I see a celebrity I'm yelling out 'Hey I'm Keith!'" A third admitted to being "ashamed" that they could relate to the nature of the ads.
Of course, relatability is the name of the game. Progressive's Chief Marketing Officer, Remi Ken, said that one of the company's major goals was to ensure "their creative remains relatable," per Design Rush. And even a hip hop icon like LL Cool J has his un-cool moments ... right? "The Dr. Rick commercials are classic, and I can't help but laugh and relate to them," LL Cool J said in a statement. "It was an honor to work with Progressive and join such a beloved campaign and character that resonates with so many."
H. Jon Benjamin
H. Jon Benjamin's face might not be as recognizable as LL Cool J's, but his voice is a different story. He's best known for voicing Bob Belcher of "Bob's Burgers" and Archer, from the eponymous adult cartoon series. So it's only fitting that he lend his voice to another character in the Progressive portfolio ... a pigeon? Yep. Benjamin plays one of two homing pigeons who, after noticing a Progressive sign advertising big savings, begins to daydream about how he might spend his windfall. At first, fans were a bit startled to hear Benjamin's voice crop up in a Progressive ad, but it didn't take long before they began to embrace the irony of it all.
Bob Belcher is deathly afraid of pigeons, which is revealed in the "Bob's Burgers" Season 6 episode "House of 1000 Bounces." In the scene, Bob backs away from a pigeon which has flown into the restaurant, screaming in fear and likening it to a "tiny eagle." It's later revealed that Bob developed a phobia of birds as a kid after watching Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds." Benjamin himself isn't afraid of pigeons — quite the opposite. As the actor told Audubon Magazine in 2021, he developed a love for birds, which he shares with the world via his "Morning Bird Reports."
In other words, hearing Benjamin portray a pigeon on a Progressive ad? It seems like the insurance company's done its homework.