NFL HEALTH UPDATE -- NOV. 19, 2014
LIONS HOST FOOTBALL SAFETY CLINIC FOR MOMS
The Detroit Lions hosted their First Moms Football Safety Clinic on Nov. 11, at the team's Headquarters and Training Facility in Allen Park, Michigan. The free clinic educated 150 moms about football health and safety, equipment fitting, heat and hydration, nutrition and concussion awareness. Participants also learned and executed the five steps of USA Football's Heads Up Tackling Curriculum led by Heads Up Football Master Trainer Chris Fritzsching.
Detroit Lions President Tom Lewand and General Manager Martin Mayhew provided opening remarks. Participants then discussed topics of mutual interest regarding youth sports safety in a Parent Engagement Panel led by Sabrina Mayhew, Courtney Conover, Amy White and Chris Golic. Award-winning journalist and community activist Lila Lazarus emceed the event.
SAINTS COACH SEAN PAYTON DONATES SERVICE DOG TO U.S. ARMY VETERAN
Through his Play It Forward Foundation, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton recently donated a service dog to Erick Scott, a United States Army veteran from Deridder, Louisiana, suffering from a brain injury and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
In partnership with the Florida organization "K-9s for Warriors," Payton and his foundation sponsored the selection of a rescued black Labrador Retriever named Gumbo, which is also the name of the Saints mascot. The sponsorship included training for Gumbo.
Scott, Gumbo and his family were Payton's guests at the team's practice on Nov. 15 and the Nov. 16 game against the Bengals.
BILLS WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION HOSTS ANNUAL TOUCHDOWN TURKEYS EVENT
The Buffalo Bills Women's Association was joined by new Bills owner KIM PEGULA as they hosted their annual Touchdown Turkeys event at a local Wegmans to benefit the Food Bank of Western New York (WNY).
The women purchased groceries and baby items for Food Bank WNY to distribute to families for the upcoming holiday season. Since 2005, the Bills Women's Association has donated 14,774 pounds of food by hosting this event.
TEXANS HOST TASTE OF TEXANS
The Houston Texans hosted more than 600 attendees for their annual Taste of the Texans presented by BP. Guests were treated to samples from some of Houston's top chefs and restaurants while interacting with Texans players and their wives, Texans Ambassadors and Texans Cheerleaders. Over $300,000 was raised with proceeds benefitting the Houston Texans Foundation, the Houston Food Bank and Houston Methodist Hospital.
BUCCANEERS VISIT VA HOSPITAL ON VETERANS DAY
In honor of Veterans Day, Tampa Bay Buccaneers players and cheerleaders visited James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Tampa last week for the hospital's seventh annual Veterans Day Parade, Classic Car Show and Welcome Home event.
"It's a day for appreciation," said center Evan Dietrich-Smith, who was joined by teammates Andrew Depaola, Clinton McDonald, and Keith Tandy. "My brother served in one of the more recent wars, my father was in the 82nd Airborne, both my grandparents served in the Army, and so it means a lot to me because I've had a lot of family members that have done their part to make sure that we're able to live in this great nation and afford the freedoms that we get."
PANTHERS VISIT SHAW AIR FORCE BASE
Carolina PanthersCharles Johnson, Graham Gano, Richie Brockel, Ben Jacobs and Brian Folkerts, plus TopCats cheerleaders and team mascot Sir Purr visited Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina, in partnership with the USO of North Carolina. The visit was part of the team's on-going Salute to Service commitment in providing support for active duty personnel and veterans. In addition to visiting with airmen, the day long visit included stops to see F-16's from the 20th Fighter Wing, the 28th Operation Weather Squadron, Aerospace Physiology and F-16 engine testing.
"My family has a lot of military members and that's where I'd be if I weren't playing football," said Gano. "This has been a great opportunity to talk to airmen and hear what each of their job responsibilities are and all of the strategic planning that takes place."
FALCONS PLAYER WILLIAM MOORE MAKES A SURPRISE VISIT
Atlanta Falcons safety William Moore made a surprise visit recently to Westside Works, a new neighborhood workforce development center in downtown Atlanta created by Falcons owner Arthur Blank. The center helps create job training in the Westside community bordering the site of the new stadium.
Moore motivated the group during their daily lunch and learn sessions, sharing personal stories about his own successes and failures.
All 15 students Moore visited will graduate on time, each receiving jobs in construction. To date, 56 individuals have gone through the program and all 56 have been placed in construction jobs throughout Atlanta, including the site of the new Falcons stadium currently undergoing construction and set to open in 2017.
-- NFL Communications
