New England's Jonathan Jones Named Week 12 NFLPA Community MVP
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a week of giving back that included a tailgate in Auburn to tackle food insecurity and a Thanksgiving dinner for 250 Boston kids in need, Jonathan Jones has been named Week 12 NFLPA Community MVP.
“It’s an honor being selected as the NFLPA’s Community MVP recipient,” Jones said. “My foundation, the Jonathan Jones Next Step Foundation, has pillars of education, mentorship and building practical life skills. As a professional athlete, it’s important for me to serve the communities that I am playing in.”
During the New England Patriots’ bye week, Jones lived out this mission, first by going back to his college roots in Alabama. On November 12, the former Auburn Tigers standout hosted a tailgate at his alma mater that raised funds to tackle food insecurity. In teaming up with Auburn Sustenance, enough money was generated to feed 450 local families with meals and snacks on the days that Auburn City Schools are closed for holidays. To date, the project has distributed 43,440 meals and snacks for those in need, and Jones plans to plant gardens at nine local elementary schools to further combat food insecurity.
The Super Bowl champion closed out his weekend in Auburn by hosting a campus visit for a group of 10 football recruits. Jones covered travel, lodging and meals for the prospects, who came from smaller high schools and were able to hear about the seventh-year pro’s football journey along with the importance of hard work and perseverance.
“I was blessed to be able to be able to play at Auburn, and now I’m doing all that I can to tackle food insecurity in Auburn,” Jones said.
Later that same week, Jones returned to his team city to make a positive impact for the Thanksgiving holiday. He provided holiday dinner for 250 kids at the Blue Hill Boys & Girls Club in Boston and also distributed turkeys and frozen meals to 100 more community members. Jones closed out the event with a Turkey Classic Flag Football game, where he was the honorary QB1 in what proved to be a memorable experience for the children.
“The New England community has welcomed the team and players with open arms,” Jones said. “We wouldn’t be who we are without their support, so I was honored to be able to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner with the Blue Hill Boys & Girls Club.”
Since joining the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2016, Jones has shown his heart for uplifting others, particularly the younger generation. In 2019, he treated a group of teenagers from MissionSAFE, which is an after-school program for high-risk youth in Roxbury, Massachusetts, to brand new sneakers of their own design. Additionally, he and his Next Step Foundation, which was launched in 2019, has hosted free football camps and donated meals to families in need during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In honor of Jones being named this week’s Community MVP, the NFLPA will make a $10,000 contribution to his charity or foundation of choice. Jones will also take part in a virtual or in-person visit to a school or children’s hospital. Along with the other 2022 Community MVPs, he will also become eligible for this year’s Alan Page Community Award, which is the highest honor that the NFLPA can bestow upon a player.
The Community MVP campaign is part of the NFLPA’s continued efforts to support the year-round, civic outreach and engagement of its player members. Please visit the NFLPA Community MVP website to learn more about the program.
2022 NFLPA Community MVP winners:
Week 1: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Week 2: Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
Week 3: Cody Davis, New England Patriots
Week 4: Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders
Week 5: John Metchie III, Houston Texans
Week 6: Justin Simmons, Denver Bro
Week 7: Jason Cabinda, Detroit Lions
Week 8: Jaelan Phillips, Miami Dolphins
Week 9: Dalvin Tomlinson, Minnesota Vikings
Week 10: Kelvin Beachum, Arizona Cardinals
Week 11. Orlando Brown Jr., Kansas City Chiefs
Week 12: Jonathan Jones, New England Patriots
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About the NFL Players Association:
The National Football League Players Association is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 season. Learn more at www.nflpa.com.