Pittsburgh’s DeShon Elliott Named Week 14 NFLPA Community MVP
Pittsburgh’s DeShon Elliott Named Week 14 NFLPA Community MVP
Washington, D.C. – DeShon Elliott has been selected as the Week 14 NFL Players Association (NFLPA) Community MVP after opening a fully stocked food pantry for middle school students and their families in Pennsylvania’s Woodland Hills School District, ensuring year-round access to essential nourishment and resources.
“I appreciate the honor, but it’s not about me,” Elliott said. “I do this for the kids and the people who need it the most. I’m blessed to be able to give back any way that I can.”
On November 25, the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back unveiled “DeShon Elliott’s Victory Vault” at Dickson Preparatory STEAM Academy — a newly established pantry featuring shelves of non-perishable foods, a refrigerator filled with fresh options and additional items such as school supplies, Thanksgiving meal ingredients and brand-new sneakers. The space is designed to give students reliable access to items they may need throughout the day, helping relieve barriers that many in the district face.
Despite still recovering from a knee injury, Elliott made a point to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony, where he welcomed 20 students, spoke with each individually and emphasized his commitment to making sure they feel seen, supported and cared for. In addition to launching the pantry, Elliott also surprised several students with new Kindle e-readers to aid their reading and academic growth.
Following the event, the veteran safety continued giving back by hand-delivering Thanksgiving baskets filled with pantry items to several local families who were unable to attend the ceremony.
Elliott’s dedication to community care extends far beyond one day of service. Over the past two years, he has made a meaningful impact in his hometown of Dallas through a series of youth-focused events that combine mentorship, resources and emotional support. He has hosted two free youth football camps for underserved children, providing hands-on training, empowerment and school supplies for all attendees.
In 2024, Elliott took 15 low-income students from a local nonprofit on a back-to-school shopping spree for new shoes and clothes — a gesture he followed up with later that fall by organizing an intimate Thanksgiving dinner for middle school youth centered around open, age-appropriate conversations about mental health. Each family also received a $250 grocery gift card to support their holiday needs.
His generosity continued just weeks later when Elliott invited several middle and high school students from economically disadvantaged households in Pittsburgh on another holiday shopping spree, ensuring both the kids and their parents had what they needed during a challenging time.
Most recently, he partnered with the nonprofit Legacy Philanthropy for a 2025 back-to-school event that supplied sneakers, food and supplies to 200 children, complete with activities such as bounce houses and face painting to celebrate the start of the school year.
“Pouring out to people means a lot to me, and hopefully it means a lot to the people I’m affecting,” Elliott said.
In recognition of Elliott being named NFLPA Community MVP for Week 14, the NFL Players Association will donate $10,000 to his nonprofit of choice. Along with the other Community MVPs from this season, 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.
As part of a new supporting partnership with GoFundMe, fans can now also make a donation directly to Legacy Philanthropy here. All donations are tax-deductible and will go directly to the player's selected nonprofit.
Now in its 12th season, the NFLPA’s award-winning Community MVP campaign is part of the union’s continued efforts to support the year-round civic outreach and engagement of its player members. Community MVPs are selected by a committee of NFLPA staff that reviews the weekly nominees, which are submitted by players, agents, marketing representatives and NFL team staff. For more information about NFLPA Community MVP program, visit here.
2025-26 NFLPA Community MVP Winners:
Week 1: Garett Bolles, Denver Broncos
Week 2: Osa Odighizuwa, Dallas Cowboys
Week 3: Jeremy Chinn, Las Vegas Raiders
Week 4: Trent Sherfield, Denver Broncos
Week 5: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Week 6: Justin Reid, New Orleans Saints
Week 7: Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 8: Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens
Week 9: Nakobe Dean, Philadelphia Eagles
Week 10: Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills
Week 11: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Week 12: Solomon Thomas, Dallas Cowboys
Week 13: Christian Benford, Buffalo Bills
Week 14: DeShon Elliott, Pittsburgh Steelers
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About the NFL Players Association:
The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is the union for professional football players in the NFL and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of protecting the health, safety and financial future of its more than 2,000 player members, who are the backbone of North America’s most popular and highest revenue-generating sport. Through a wide offering of programs, resources and engagement opportunities, the NFLPA provides world-class service to players throughout their career lifecycle and builds solidarity to advocate on their behalf in the areas of healthcare, revenue, compensation and working conditions. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 season. Learn more at nflpa.com.