New Orleans' Derek Carr Named Week 17 NFLPA Community MVP
New Orleans’ Derek Carr Named Week 17 NFLPA Community MVP
Washington D.C. – Derek Carr has been named the Week 17 NFLPA Community MVP after hosting a special holiday luncheon where he and his wife, Heather, blessed nine families in need with gifts and $5,000 each in cash.
“I was shocked when I found out about my nomination for this award,” the New Orleans Saints quarterback said. “While certainly honored, the reason Heather and I did this was the realization of being able to help people in need, especially during the holidays. I was just doing what I felt the Lord wants us to do in these situations, with what He has provided for us.”
The Carrs invited nine New Orleans families (10 parents and 15 children) – some of whom were experiencing financial struggles and others who had escaped domestic violence situations -- to a local Salvation Army for a holiday event on December 21. Awaiting them were a hearty meal and bags filled with $250 worth of gifts for each family. At the end of the end, the Carrs presented one final surprise: nine small boxes containing $5,000 each in cash, causing the room to erupt in excitement, gratitude and tears of joy.
“I hope that this helps bring attention to the needs of these and other families and that more people want to help, to start the year off the right way for them,” Derek Carr said.
The luncheon marked the second time this month that Carr has spread holiday cheer to some of the most vulnerable people in New Orleans. On December 9, he and Saints teammate Taysom Hill visited with patients at Ochsner Health Center for a memorable holiday party. This season has also seen Carr donate guardian caps to the football program at East Jefferson High School and spend time meeting with the players following their summer practices in June.
The 11th-year veteran has a special place in his heart for children, which serves as the inspiration behind his foundation, DC4Kids. Founded in 2016, Carr has conducted several initiatives to ensure that “kids live in healthy communities where they live, learn and play.”
In May, he and his brother David, who played 10 seasons in the NFL, donated $250,000 to Valley Children’s Healthcare in support of its community health initiatives throughout their home state of California. Derek Carr’s son spent the first 23 days of his life in Valley Children’s Hospital as he battled to overcome a life-threatening condition in 2013. The hospital’s care saved his son’s life and inspired his family to support children’s hospitals across the country in hopes of saving more lives.
In recognition of Carr being named the NFLPA Community MVP for Week 16, the NFLPA will donate $10,000 to his foundation or charity of choice. In turn, Carr will take part in a special visit to a local school, children’s hospital, or community center. Along with the other 2024-25 Community MVPs, he will also be eligible for the Alan Page Community Award, which is the NFLPA’s highest player honor and includes an additional $100,000 donation.
For its 11th season, the Community MVP program is teaming up with two supporting partners: Young Minds Inspired (YMI) and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA). As the nation's leading provider of free educational outreach programs, YMI will bring this year’s NFLPA Community MVPs to classrooms across the country through lesson plans about community service, inspired by the players' philanthropic work. BBBSA is also inviting this season’s Community MVPs to partner with its 230+ agencies across the country, providing these athletes with more opportunities to engage with youth through its volunteer-supported mentoring network.
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.
2024-25 NFLPA Community MVP winners:
Week 1: Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 2: K.J. Osborn, New England Patriots
Week 3: Jordan Hicks, Cleveland Browns
Week 4: Alexander Mattison, Las Vegas Raiders
Week 5: Nate Wiggins, Baltimore Ravens
Week 6: Ernest Jones IV, Tennessee Titans
Week 7: Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns
Week 8: Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints
Week 9: Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills
Week 10: Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Week 11: Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers
Week 12: A.J. Terrell Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Week 13: Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis Colts
Week 14: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Week 15: Camryn Bynum, Minnesota Vikings
Week 16: Darius Slayton, New York Giants
Week 17: Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
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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 NFL season. Learn more at www.nflpa.com.