NFL Players Give Back For The Holidays
WASHINGTON, D.C. –- NFL players from across the league have embraced the seasonal spirit of giving by making a positive impact on their hometowns and team cities during the holidays. The below list is just a sampling of the unique and important ways in which current and former NFL players are pouring back into their communities.
Happy Thanksgiving from the NFL Players Association!
MIKE ADAMS, DARIUS BUTLER & VONTAE DAVIS
Indianapolis Colts
The trio hosted a Thanksgiving meal giveaway at the Edna Martin Christian Center Leadership and Legacy Campus, distributing complete meals to 100 pre-selected Indianapolis families in need. Afterwards, Adams, Butler and Davis hand-delivered meals to five families in the neighborhood.
The Darius Butler Foundation also held a Turkey Giveaway for more than 50 families in need in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 21.
KAMAR AIKEN
Baltimore Ravens
Aiken distributed 200 turkeys to families at City Springs Elementary/Middle School.
CHRIS BAKER & PIERRE GARCON
Washington Redskins
The teammates handed out 100 Thanksgiving dinner to local families in need at Paisano’s Pizza in Virginia on Nov. 21.
CALAIS CAMPBELL
Arizona Cardinals
For the sixth straight year, Campbell distributed more than 300 turkeys to needy families in Arizona through his CRC Foundation. On Dec. 13, he will also host Christmas With Calais, an annual shopping spree for homeless and under-served kids, each of which gets $200, a visit from Santa and a holiday meal provided by Boston Market.
A.J. CANN, ALLEN HURNS, BRAD NORTMAN, HAYES PULLARD III & DAN SKUTA
Jacksonville Jaguars
The teammates visited the Sulzbacher Center on Nov. 22 to distribute hot meals to individuals and families in need.
FRANK CLARK, REES ODHIAMBO, WILL PERICAK, BOBBY WAGNER & K.J. WRIGHT
Seattle Seahawks
The players shared messages of Thanksgiving and served dinner to residents at Hope Place Shelter in downtown Seattle on Nov. 22.
BENNY CUNNINGHAM
Los Angeles Rams
Cunningham helped fund the fourth annual 100 Dreams Turkey Drive that took place at the Kirkpatrick Recreation Center in Nashville, Tenn. One hundred families were provided with a ready-to-eat meal for an event that also aims to tackle the national hunger epidemic taking place in the Nashville community.
VINNY CURRY
Philadelphia Eagles
Through his Rush2Victory Foundation, Curry served more than 200 in-need families at his inaugural Thanksgiving Rush community outreach program at ACME Markets on Nov. 17.
BRIAN CUSHING
Houston Texans
The Brian Cushing Foundation will host its “Operation Holiday Hope” in December. Six families from the Family Readiness Center will be treated to dinner at The Palm Restaurant, followed by a surprise shopping spree at WalMart, where each family will receive $250 for spending.
ANDY DALTON
Cincinnati Bengals
The Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation will host its “Holiday Hearts” community outreach program in December, when seriously ill and physically challenged children and their families are treated to a night filled with holiday cheer. The event includes dinner, karaoke, holiday treat-making and games, followed by a surprise featuring a family gift and Christmas tree in addition to gifts off their wish lists.
CARLOS DUNLAP
Cincinnati Bengals
Dunlap donated 70 turkeys, served dinner to more than 100 people, passed out hats and gloves and took families shopping for Thanksgiving at the City Gospel Mission on Nov. 21. Joining him were Bengals teammates Karlos Dansby, Marcus Hardison, Michael Johnson and Brandon LaFell.
WILLIAM GHOLSTON
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The defensive end gave away 400 turkey dinners to Detroit families at Mumford High School on Nov. 22.
LAWRENCE GUY
Baltimore Ravens
Guy served lunch and delivered Thanksgiving turkeys to students at The Community School: Academic & Mentoring High School on Nov. 21. He also delivered turkeys to select families at Glenmount Elementary/Middle School.
DEMETRIUS HARRIS & CLINTON MCDONALD
Kansas City Chiefs & Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On the same day that they took the field against each other, the two players teamed up to sponsor a free community Thanksgiving meal at Jacksonville Lighthouse Charter School in Arkansas on Nov. 20. The initiative helped feed over 2,000 people and leftover food was taken to the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter, where more than 300 people were fed.
CARLOS HYDE
San Francisco 49ers
Hyde will be shopping with 50 children from the local YMCAs on Dec. 13, giving them $100 each and sending them home with backpacks of food through the Blessings in a BackPack program.
MALCOLM JENKINS
Philadelphia Eagles
The Pro Bowl safety’s Malcolm Jenkins Foundation will host its fifth annual Holiday Dinner Basket Surprise during the week of Dec. 12. The event will provide more than 275 families in Philadelphia and New Orleans with turkeys and all of the fixings for a holiday meal. In partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department, Jenkins and a few of his Eagles teammates will hand-deliver baskets and toys to families in need.
RASHAD JENNINGS
New York Giants
Jennings hosted a holiday party, book drive and autograph signing at Barnes &Noble in Holmdel, N.J. to encourage students to read over the holiday break and collect books for the more than 20,000 students he serves through the Rashad Jennings Foundation’s Reading Challenge.
The team’s player rep will visit PS48 in the Bronx on Nov. 28 to kick off his Reading Challenge in eight South Bronx schools. As a holiday gift, Jennings has partnered with author Mike Lupica and the Giants to distribute over 500 books to students participating in his literacy program.
SAM KOCH, STEVE SMITH SR., TERRANCE WEST & MARQUESTON HUFF
Baltimore Ravens
The players helped host the 13th annual Ravens Coat Giveaway at the Helping Up Mission men’s homeless shelter on Nov. 21.
ANTHONY LEVINE SR. & ZACH ORR
Baltimore Ravens
Levine partnered with the United Way of Central Maryland on Nov. 21 to assist with its annual Harvest of Plenty meal program that provides low-income families with holiday meals
JAMEEL MCCLAIN
Baltimore Ravens
The former Raven was joined by current kicker Justin Tucker in hosting McClain’s seventh annual 53 Families Foundation Thanksgiving Dinner for 500 members of the Baltimore community.
KELCIE MCCRAY & WILL TUKUAFU
Seattle Seahawks
The duo visited Seattle Veterans Hospital to deliver Seahawks “Salute to Service” merchandise to veterans on Nov. 22.
OAKLAND RAIDERS OFFENSIVE LINE
The entire unit welcomed local families and community partners to the team’s practice facility on Nov. 22 to distribute Thanksgiving turkeys and fixings. Each player pitched in to purchase the items for all of the families and were on hand to pass out the meals to local low-income families, military families and community partners from the Bay Area.
ALEC OGLETREE
Los Angeles Rams
Ogletree completed his fourth annual turkey drive in Newnan, Ga., where he personally flew home on his day off to attend on Nov. 22. Ogletree provided 500 turkeys to families in need and provided autographed items for his local Boys & Girls Club.
BRESHARD PERRIMAN
Baltimore Ravens
Perriman distributed Thanksgiving meal baskets to 225 families in the Brooklyn Park area at the local Transformation Center in Maryland.
ALLEN ROBINSON
Jacksonville Jaguars
Robinson will host 30 kids from the Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Florida for his Operation Elf program on Dec. 13 at Academy Sports & Outdoor. The kids will receive autographed footballs and bicycles.
BART SCOTT
The former Baltimore Raven led the 11th annual Helping Up Mission Holiday Dinner at the Helping Up Mission men’s homeless shelter on Nov. 21. In serving 350 men at the shelter, Scott was joined by current Ravens Lawrence Guy, Shareece Wright and Jeremy Zuttah and former Ravens Jameel McClain and Matt Stover.
CAM THOMAS & DOMINIQUE EASLEY
Los Angeles Rams
The teammates are sponsoring and volunteering their time to feed about 100 women and children in the HomeLight group home, which is part of Midnight Mission. These families are victims of domestic abuse, human trafficking and homelessness.
JULIUS THOMAS
Jacksonville Jaguars
On Nov. 21, Thomas and several of his Jacksonville teammates shared a meal with kids at the local Boys & Girls Club in conjunction with Popeyes and Feeding Northeast Florida.
SHAQ THOMPSON
Carolina Panthers
Thompson will be shopping with 50 children from the local Boys & Girls Club on Dec. 13, giving them $100 each and sending them home with backpacks of food through the “Blessings in a Backpack” program.
LADANIAN TOMLINSON
The former NFL star hosted his annual Giving Thanks Holiday Program in partnership with Albertson’s on Nov. 18. Tomlinson gave away more than 2,100 family meals, including turkeys and side dishes to in-need families, resulting in more than 40,000 people being fed.
ALTERRAUN VERNER
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Verner will launch his fifth annual Holiday Bible Giveaway on Thanksgiving Day by giving away 25 Bibles and continuing through Christmas Day. He will gift a total of 100 Bibles, bringing his total to 500 Bibles since beginning the program with Athletes for Charity in 2012.
DELANIE WALKER
Tennessee Titans
Walker will meet 20 at-risk Nashville youth from Middle Tennessee YMCA for his Holiday Night Out event on Nov. 28 at Old Chicago Tap Room for dinner and photos. He will also provide them with free custom Delanie Walker hoodies and a shopping spree at DICK’S Sporting Goods.
T.J. WARD
Denver Broncos
Ward set up a special evening for 11 families in the Denver area, picking them up in a Mercedes sprinter van and driving them to Dave & Busters for food and games. He then provided families with a certificate to pick up all their Thanksgiving needs at King Soopers.
LARDARIUS WEBB
Baltimore Ravens
In partnership with United Way, Webb hosted his eighth annual Turkey Drive on Nov. 21. He distributed Thanksgiving turkeys and side dishes to local children and their families at the Webster Kendrick Boys & Girls Club. He was joined by Ravens teammates Maurice Canady, Tavon Young and Terrance West.
KAYVON WEBSTER
Denver Broncos
Webster and his foundation, The Kayvon Webster GameChangers Foundation, handed out 100 turkeys to 100 families in need in the Miami area on Nov. 19.
TERRANCE WEST
Baltimore Ravens
West distributed 100 Thanksgiving meals on Nov. 22 to local children and their families at the Parkview Recreation Center.
BRANDON WILLIAMS
Baltimore Ravens
The Week 8 NFLPA Community MVP helped serve Thanksgiving dinner at the Boys & Girls Club of Westport Homes, which Williams adopted in 2015.
DAN WILLIAMS
Oakland Raiders
Williams will sponsor 15 families from the Oakland Boys & Girls Club at Christmas, with each family receiving a Christmas meal and $500 of gifts off their wish list.
AVERY WILLIAMSON
Tennessee Titans
Williamson adopted 15 families in need, associated with service. The linebacker hand-delivered Thanksgiving needs as well as a special gift card in partnership with the NJ and NYC Police Unions, the Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee and Operation Warrior Wishes.
ERIC WOOD
Buffalo Bills
Wood and several of his Bills teammates will meet children from Roswell Park Cancer Institute for his Operation Big Santa event on Dec. 19 at Illio DiPaolo’s for dinner before heading to a shopping spree at DICK’S Sporting Goods.
LAMARR WOODLEY
Arizona Cardinals
Woodley partnered with a local food bank to host a turkey drive, giving away more than 200 turkeys to families and senior citizens in need.
NFLPA COMMUNITY MVP
We are also proud of our 2016 NFLPA Community MVPs, who have demonstrated a continued commitment to charitable outreach during the season:
- Week 1: Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens/Detroit Lions
- Week 2: Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals
- Week 3: Kevin Pamphile, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 4: Lamarr Houston, Chicago Bears
- Week 5: Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers
- Week 6: Victor Cruz, New York Giants
- Week 7: Bradley Roby, Denver Broncos
- Week 8: Brandon Williams, Baltimore Ravens
- Week 9: Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins
- Week 10: Clinton McDonald, Tampa Bay Buccaneers