NFL UPDATE -- JULY 2, 2014
CAROLINA PANTHERS STAY ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY DURING MINICAMPS
The Carolina Panthers have stayed just as busy off the field as they have on the field.
In early June, 16 members of the Carolina Panthers 2014 Rookie Class hosted 120 campers from the Boys & Girls Club of York County in a high-energy PLAY 60 Camp at the team's practice fields.
The following week, the team signed 6 year-old George Gring of Houston, Texas, to a one-day contract. Gring, whose wish was to "play with the Carolina Panthers and meet Cam Newton," was drafted by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the 2014 NFL Draft as the team's #1 Make-A-Wish Draft pick.
The Panthers concluded the month of June by hosting a Player Safety Coach Clinic at Bank of America Stadium, where 40 coaches participated, representing more than 10,000 young football players in the region. The coaches were trained on the pillars of Heads Up Football by Master Trainer E.Z. Smith.
ATLANTA FALCONS HOST FIRST MOMS CLINIC IN MONTANA
The Atlanta Falcons recently hosted the first-ever Moms Clinic outside an NFL market at Park High School in Livingston, Montana. Falcons Owner and Chairman Arthur Blank owns the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Emigrant, Montana and conducts philanthropic work in the surrounding community through the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund.
The clinic was the third coordinated by the Falcons in 2014 and 132 women throughout the states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado attended.
Heads Up Football Advisory Committee Member Chris Golic directed a Q&A session and fellow committee member Dr. Elizabeth Pieroth discussed the benefits of playing sports as well as concussion recognition and awareness. Attendees also learned about football fundamentals and equipment fitting, which are part of USA Football's Heads Up Football program.
"We've done two of these clinics this year in the Atlanta area and both were extremely successful," said Rich McKay, President and CEO of the Atlanta Falcons. "The goals of these clinics are pretty simple. One is education, and the other is to grow the game. Most people who touch this game benefit from it. You want to make sure you educate them with respect to what the injury risks are and are not."
For a video package of the clinic, click here.
CHICAGO BEARS VISIT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL WITH BEAR HUGS PROGRAM
As part of the Bear Hugs program, members of the Chicago Bears organization, along with mascot Staley Da Bear, visit a different local children's hospital each month to deliver teddy bears and lift the spirits of patients and their families. During a Bear Hugs visit to Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge last month, Head Coach Marc Trestman and Chairman George H. McCaskey met Haley Lichter, an extraordinary 18-year-old girl battling cancer. Inspired and impressed by her toughness and positive attitude, the Bears invited Haley and her family to be their personal guests at a Bears OTA session, where they had the opportunity to visit with coaches and players.
ARIZONA CARDINALS PRESIDENT MICHAEL BIDWILL HONORED BY ARIZONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Cardinals team President MICHAEL BIDWILL was recently awarded the 2014 Transformational Leader Award at the annual Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry Awards Luncheon in Phoenix.
The honor is presented annually to a business leader who has demonstrated transformational leadership by creating a vision for positive change in Arizona, by inspiring business and industry in pursuit of that vision, and by enriching the future for the Arizona community.
"Michael Bidwill is not just the executive of the Cardinals, where he's developed one of the strongest, most recognized brands on the state's sports landscape and helped usher through the construction of one of the most advanced stadiums in the world, but his leadership transcends sports," said Glenn Hamer, the president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "I've come to appreciate Michael's commitment to ensuring that the business community continues to cultivate outstanding leadership in the political realm. Michael is driven to create excellent teams on the field, in the board room and in elected office."
KEN WHISENHUNT PARTICIPATES IN TENNESSEE TITANS 5K
Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt and several Titans players were among approximately 2,000 runners that participated in the recent Titans 5K at LP Field.
A portion of the third annual race's proceeds were donated to Girls on the Run, a non-profit organization that teaches "life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games."
For more information, click here.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS HOST PLAY 60 CAMP
The Indianapolis Colts partnered with Special Olympics Indiana to host a PLAY 60 youth football camp at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. More than 100 Special Olympics athletes participated in fitness stations with Indiana High School Athletic Association students and Indianapolis Colts players.
Colts players Daniel Adongo, Vick Ballard, Ulrick John and Henoc Muamba participated in the camp, running drills and interacting with the Special Olympics athletes.
"Giving back to the community…it's more than I could ever ask for. I think it's the greatest gift that you could give someone…something that you know they can't ever give back," said Adongo.
To learn more, click here.
-- NFL Communications