New PLAY 60 spots to air during Thanksgiving games
As friends and family gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, the NFL will continue its tradition of encouraging children to be active during special NFL PLAY 60 themed games throughout Thanksgiving weekend. NFL PLAY 60 is a leaguewide effort to fight childhood obesity by getting kids active for at least 60 minutes a day.
A special NFL PLAY 60 television spot will debut during each of the three Thanksgiving games. The 90-second spot features team executives and players from around the league joining with local children to get healthy and active. Bears DE Israel Idonije; Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn and LB Dhani Jones; Chargers DE Luis Castillo; Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft and WR Deion Branch; and Rams LB James Laurinaitis are among those featured in the spot, alongside children who take part in PLAY 60 activities in their communities. The spot also will air during the Sunday and Monday Night Football games on Thanksgiving weekend and continue airing in a shorter format throughout the rest of the season. In addition, the Thanksgiving games will include a United Way PLAY 60 PSA featuring Bears players, including the team's rookie class. Links to the spots are posted on www.nfl.com/thanksgiving.
In support of NFL PLAY 60, all Thanksgiving weekend games will raise awareness of the childhood obesity epidemic and showcase the NFL and its clubs' commitment to help reverse this trend. Beginning on Thanksgiving and continuing in the coming weeks, teams will designate a home game as an 'NFL PLAY 60' game. On-field elements will include PLAY 60 field stencils, banners and goal post wraps. Teams also will invite 'NFL PLAY 60 youth ambassadors' to be recognized on-field at each PLAY 60 game. These youngsters were selected by each team for their commitment to being healthy, through NFL PLAY 60 programs like NFL FLAG Football and NFL Punt, Pass & Kick and through participation in the NFL-American Heart Association PLAY 60 Challenge and NFL-National Dairy Council Fuel Up to Play 60 programs.
"Thanksgiving is a great day for family, football and food, and a perfect time to encourage everyone to get active," said Commissioner Roger Goodell. "Our NFL PLAY 60 campaign continues to impact more children with each passing year, and we're proud of our teams for all that they do to keep kids healthy."
Designed to tackle childhood obesity, NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations like United Way. Since the program was launched in 2007, the NFL has committed more than $200 million to youth health and fitness through programming, grants, and media time for PSAs.
NFL PLAY 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. Teams have constructed 100 NFL PLAY 60 youth fitness zones since 2007 with grants from NFL Charities and more than 300,000 children participated in team PLAY 60 activities this year alone.
Children and families can join the PLAY 60 movement by pledging to be active every day. Those children who submit their PLAY 60 story have the chance to be named an NFL PLAY 60 Super Kid, with one child and family receiving the opportunity to represent NFL PLAY 60 on-field at this year's Super Bowl to help kick off the game. Fans can visit www.NFLRUSH.com/Play60 to learn more.
In addition, beginning Thanksgiving weekend and continuing through January, NFL PLAY 60 and USA Football, the NFL's official youth football development partner, will work with Sports Authority on the Pass the Good campaign, which collects and redistributes used sports equipment to help underprivileged children and youth football players across the country get active and healthy. Football cleats, gloves and NFL merchandise will be collected at Sports Authority stores nationwide; all individuals who donate one of these items receives a $10 cash card to thank them for their commitment to NFL PLAY 60 and youth health
