Let's face it, the NFL is huge. As the Super Bowl gets closer every year, it becomes larger. Many Americans go all out all for the NFL’s big season finale by spending exuberant amounts of money on preparing Super Bowl parties, buying their favorite team's jerseys, and even placing bets on who they think will win. In the days preceding the big game, our National Football League then becomes the most talked about thing in the media sphere. With scandals that happened in the past year, such as Deflate Gate, it somehow remains in talk far after its original news release date. With all the crazy hype the NFL gets, some might not realize that there are a lot of charities associated with it. Although some see that football game fans watch games and get crazy, the NFL can be great entertainment for anyone on a Sunday night. They also can do a lot of good in the world. There are over 50 charities created by players in the NFL. Here is a look at a few of them, along with some interesting and inspiring stories behind its creation.
Peyton Manning's Payback Foundation and Omaha
Ever wonder why Peyton Manning yells the word Omaha so much? It seems like such a random word, right? Well, there's much more to it than many would think. Manning receives a lot of television endorsements and has a lot of publicity, which is why the Omaha Insurance Company, along with 4 other companies associated with the word Omaha, offered to donate $500 collectively to Peyton's Manning’s charity for disadvantaged youth every time he yells the word "Omaha!" during the AFC championship game. Many believe Manning is just yelling out calls with his constant use of the word, but he's also earning money for his charity as well. His brother, Eli Manning, also does similar work with St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
The NFL Goes Pink For October
Most of us who watch football regularly have noticed a change in uniforms during the month of October. Football players from all teams were running around the field with pink cleats, mouth guards, and even padding during the month of October all for breast cancer awareness. Although this movement by the NFL has been criticized for its lack of producing money for the cause, it definitely has raised awareness, spurring more donations. Breast cancer was commanding the news coverage for awhile in October, especially when Pittsburgh Steelers player, DeAngelo Williams, dyed his hair pink to keep the tradition going after the month was over, sliding past the uniform regulation to raise awareness of the disease that took his mother's life.
The David Garrard Foundation
Former New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback, David Garrard was hit with a major bombshell in the middle of his football career. It concerned his health, and he decided to make a difference. In 2004, he started to get some serious abdominal cramps without any explanation. After dropping almost 20 pounds without trying, he realized that there was something wrong and saw a doctor. He was then diagnosed with, Crohn's Disease, a chronic illness that causes chronic inflammation in the digestive tract. Crohn's affected his football career in a major way, but his struggle with it had motivated him to create a foundation. Many people with this illness have trouble leading active lives, but after much treatment Gerard was able to get back out onto the field again and even created a charity to raise money for research and the children who are affected by it. His foundation also raises money for breast cancer as well, the disease he lost his mother to.
Jason Witten’s S.C.O.R.E. Foundation
Dallas Cowboy Jason Witten was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for his work to help end domestic violence. Witten admits that as a child he grew up in a house where domestic violence was prominent. He says he remembers there being screaming, confusion, and doubt in his surroundings growing up. He has a program in his organization called “Coaching Boys Into Men,” which teach high school coaches to educate their players about domestic violence and the dangers of it when dating. His foundation also provides mentors for women who come from battered homes. Witten says he wants to break the cycle and says he will do that one household at a time.
The Torry and Terrence Holt’s Holt Foundation
Although the Manning brothers seem to be the most well-known family in football, they aren't the only pair of brothers that played in the NFL. Torry Holt, who was a wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams, and Terrence Holt, who was a safety for the Detroit Lions, created a foundation to honor their mother and to raise money and awareness for cancer research. Cancer has affected both brother's lives immensely because for ten years of both their mother was sick, going in and out of treatment and chemotherapy. They started the organization after both of them retired from the NFL. The organization, called Holt Brothers Incorporated, includes a football camp and a construction company as well. Most of their profits from their cam and construction company go directly to their charity foundation.
For a complete list of all football-related charities, check out Kick Them Back.
Happy Super Bowl!
