Lawrence Guy
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
| Position | College | Years in the NFL |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive Lineman | Arizona State University | 12 |
Excellence on the Field:
Lawrence Guy attended Arizona State University, where he excelled on the football field as a three-time honorable mention All Pac-10 selection. In 2011, he was selected in the seventh round (233rd overall) by the Green Bay Packers. He spent his first few seasons with the Packers, the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers. In 2015, Lawrence signed with the Baltimore Ravens and earned a starting role on their defensive line. In 2017, the New England Patriots signed Lawrence to a free agent deal. Since arriving in New England, Lawrence has been an anchor on the Patriots defense. Since earning a starting position, Lawrence has helped the team to three AFC East division titles, two conference titles and a Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams when the defense surrendered just three points against a Rams team that entered the game averaging 32.9-points per game. Lawrence is a leader in the locker room, was named a 2020 defensive co-captain and was selected to the Patriots 2010's All-Decade team.
Dedication & Commitment to Community Efforts This Year:
Lawrence and his wife, Andrea, established the Lawrence Guy Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides resources and opportunities for financially disadvantaged families. In August, Lawrence and his wife Andrea invited 150 high school students to Gillette stadium for their 12th annual backpack giveaway. The backpacks were filled with school supplies, snacks and other goodies to prepare the children for the upcoming year. Lawrence hosted a Q&A session where he opened up about his academic struggles and the importance of school. This year they partnered with La Colaborativa, a Massachusetts-based organization serving Latinx immigrants and providing services, initiatives and community organizing campaigns to uplift them in society. Over the past 12 years, the Guy family has distributed more than 3,000 backpacks full of school supplies. For the fourth consecutive year, the Foundation will host its "Thanksgiving with the Guys," where they will provide 200 local families with Thanksgiving meals. Guy and his teammates will hand out all the Thanksgiving fixings to each family. The Guy family also gets the event catered so all of the families can enjoy a warm meal. They also raffle off various prizes during the event. Thanksgiving with the Guys originated 13 years ago, while Lawrence was in college and he worked with his dad to distribute turkeys to families in need. Since then, more than 15,000 families have received Thanksgiving meals from the Guy family. Each year, Lawrence and Andrea partner with a local Walmart and host a holiday shopping spree for underprivileged children called Shop with a Jock. They provide each child with dinner, a t-shirt and a gift card. Lawrence and his teammates join him as he helps the children select their holiday gifts. The Guy family is already planning this year's Shop with a Jock event, as well as a holiday dinner for children in need. Lawrence and Andrea's latest charitable initiative is a baby shower for underprivileged families which they started last year. Last year, 20 moms-to-be got showered with gifts including breast pumps, clothing, diaper bags, strollers and more. In total the baby shower provides more than $40,000 in products and gifts to local mothers in need. The recipients were clients of five nonprofits serving people experiencing abuse, addiction, domestic violence, homelessness and more. This year, that event will take place on November 1st at Gillette Stadium.
Dedication & Commitment to Community Efforts in Years Past:
When it comes to volunteering, Lawrence has always placed a special emphasis on education. Having been diagnosed with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADD and ADHD when he was 20-years old, Lawrence is all-too familiar with challenges in the classroom and how they correlate out in the world. He meets with students, shares his story and instills confidence in them. Since joining the Patriots, Lawrence has been one of the most active players in our New England communities. In addition to the work he does with his own foundation, he has eagerly participated in the Patriots Foundation's signature holiday events, including the Thanksgiving basket giveaway, the Children's Holiday Party for 250 children from the Salvation Army and community centers across the region, and Gifts from the Gridiron, a holiday shopping event for youth experiencing homelessness. Lawrence has dawned costumes for the annual Halloween celebration for children battling cancer. He always seeks out Patriots staff looking for more ways to get involved and give back. Lawrence has unveiled technology labs at elementary schools, participated in virtual and in-person classes with students, helped to install playgrounds and listened to student project presentations. He has led football clinics with AccesSportAmerica, a nonprofit that provides high-challenge training and sports opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. Lawrence offered his support to first responders at the start of the pandemic by sending appreciation videos, meeting virtually with healthcare workers and donating lunches to staff at a hospital in Miami. In May 2020, Lawrence and Andrea teamed with the Worcester Public Schools and New England Dairy to provide a week's worth of meals and milk to 1,300 local children and their families. They hosted a Meals and Milk Food Truck Festival, distributing the supplies to approximately 600 local food-insecure families. The group developed a contactless distribution system – a food truck which allowed them to safely distribute breakfast and lunch, a food box full of groceries and a gallon of milk. Lawrence is also an active member of the Patriots Players Social Justice Fund. Established in 2019, the fund provides support for organizations focused on social justice and racial equality. Through this fund, more than $1.4 million has been donated to local organizations.
Positive Character & a Lifestyle of Giving Back:
Lawrence grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and overcame a lot of personal challenges and obstacles to become an All-Decade defensive tackle for the Patriots. He knows that he would not be the man he is today without the people who provided guidance over the years and instilled the positive values and characteristics in his life, which is why he and his wife are so passionate about giving back to the communities they call home. Lawrence continues to give back to his hometown of Las Vegas and his wife's hometown of Miami, Florida. They frequently send meals, gifts and other donations to charitable organizations in their hometowns and provided meals to first responders in Las Vegas following the 2017 shooting. They are still active contributors to the Baltimore community – a place that they called home when Lawrence played for the Ravens – and they are continuing to expand their charitable endeavors in the New England region. Their work has even expanded overseas as Lawrence and Andrea are helping to renovate a school in Columbia, equipping the students with the necessary school supplies, donating meals and sending crates full of gifts. They continue to work with the Boys and Girls Clubs, Crossroads and a host of other organizations. Each year, the family provides more than $100,000 in charitable support to communities they have called home. Lawrence aims to let his career as a football player serve as his platform to improve the lives of people in need. His community efforts are a true family affair and it is something that he wants to instill in his three young children. At the end of August 2021, Lawrence Guy was presented with the 2021 New England Patriots Ron Burton Community Service Award. He was recognized for his outstanding commitment to giving back to the community. The New England Patriots are proud to select Lawrence Guy as their 2022 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.