This Week in NFL Do-Goodery: Malcolm Jenkins, Griffin Twins, Tyrod Taylor
In case you didn’t notice the creative player arrivals or collective “IT’S BACK” scream of the media, training camp began for most teams this week. The rigid scheduling synonymous with this season of hope makes players’ work in the community a bit trickier in the short-term, but the NFL’s good guys continue to showcase their hearts when they can.
Even if the public acts of kindness become more sparse in the short-term, we will publish whatever we can round up. The good deeds are out there! A preponderance of NFL players use their philanthropically use their platform and bring important issues of societal inequality to light. In the continued face of false narratives and attempted repression of rights (looking at you. Jerry) the public needs this reminder more than ever.
Bucs WR Mike Evans was named our Do-Gooder of the Week on the TFG Podcast for donating $11,000 to the children of Greg Hill, a black man killed in Florida by a police deputy after a jury awarded them exactly $4 in a wrongful death suit.
The actual timeline of events is in dispute but the bullets that killed Hill penetrated a closed garage door. Evans’ public disgust at the lowly $4 award and his initial donation sparked others. The family’s Go Fund Me account is currently just south of $102,000.
Here are other acts of kindness from the week:
Eagles CB Malcolm Jenkins (a regular in this space) through his robust foundation teamed up with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Second Harvest Foundation, Kinglsey House and Second Harvest Food Bank, along with Shaquille O’Neal and Stephen A. Smith to provide haircuts, food and school supplies to preselected New Orleans families in need. Jenkins was originally drafted by the Saints in 2009 and played in New Orleans through 2013.
Chargers WR Mike Williams returned to his high school in Santee, SC to host the inaugural Mike Williams Youth Football Camp and Community Fun Day. Williams told The Times and Democrat that he was inspired to host his own free camp after seeing the impact of Alshon Jeffery’s firsthand. Williams also said he never had an option like his camp growing up. He added a bouncy house, obstacle course and free food to try and coalesce the entire community.
Ignore what I said about training camp stifling community service because here comes twin brothers and Seahawks teammates Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin spending time with kids from a Seattle area amputees and children with missing limbs. It’s well documented that Shaquem had his left hand amputated when he was four years old.
Saints punter Thomas Morstead completed 418 pull-ups in one hour to raise funds ($48,645) for the children of a former Saints employee stricken with terminal cancer. Accoridng the Saints team site, Chris Cordano was diagnosed with neuroendocrine carcinoma of the liver, pancreas, spine, bone, scalp and multiple lymph nodes in 2015. He was give a couple months to live. Morstead visited Cordaro in the hospital and stayed connected as he miraculously went into remission. Unfortunately Cordaro’s cancer has returned and the prognosis is grim. Morstead is providing a nest egg for Cordaro’s 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son and asking others to consider a donation.
Browns QB Tyrod Taylor went to his home town of Hampton, VA for the inaugural T2 Community Day. Following a free football camp for 100 local kids, Taylor’s new Tyrod Taylor Foundation set up carnival games and free haircuts. At the event Taylor said instead of the anthem policy, “the conversation should be how do we change and help our communities.”
As always, if there are any players you feel we neglected or you would like to draw our attention to future acts of work in the community, please send a note to info@thefootballgirl.com
