NFL players provide light through darkness

The National Football League is embattled.

The flawed ship is sinking and taking on water faster than those aboard can bail. It has been a common theme since commissioner Roger Goodell took over America’s most popular sport in Sept. 2006. The NFL product has never been more popular, yet has never had more scrutiny in an age of increased awareness of multiple off-field issues.

The NFL executives deserve every negative word they get. The Ray Rice situation was deplorably handled, something Goodell admitted far too late. Originally only given two games for striking then-fiancee Janay Palmer, Rice was eventually given an indefinite ban after video surfaced of the brutal assault in an Atlantic City elevator.

Lest we forget Adrian Peterson or Greg Hardy. Peterson hit his 4-year-old son with a tree branch to the point blood was present, while Hardy allegedly beat his former girlfriend Nicole Holder in brutal fashion (Hardy was convicted of a misdemeanor in the case by Judge Becky Thorne Tin in July; however, charges were dismissed on appeal when Holder didn’t show to a February court date).

Neither player was ever suspended for a single game without pay until 2015, when Hardy was levied with a 10-game ban for his alleged actions. Peterson has been reinstated.

Then there was former San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald, who allegedly assaulted his girlfriend. The 49ers and NFL refused to take legal action. Ultimately, McDonald was investigated for sexual assault in December, and with its season already in tatters, San Francisco released him. The Chicago Bears somehow thought it was justifiable to sign McDonald this offseason, who promptly was arrested in May on charges of child endangerment and domestic violence. On Aug. 26, McDonald was indicted on rape charges, per Tracey Kaplan and Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News.

In late August, 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks was charged with sexual battery which was allegedly committed at McDonald’s house.

All of this is terrible. It’s indefensible.

So why does the NFL deserve a break in the public view? Because most of its players do more for their respective communities than they are ever recognized for.

Chris Harris Jr. makes a major impact every Sunday for the Denver Broncos, yet it pales in comparison to his contributions away from the game. Harris, 26, was raised in a single-parent home in a tough neighborhood of Tulsa, Okla., a situation far too common in society. Unlike so many trust-fund babies who are given much but earn nothing, Harris scrapped his way to a scholarship at the University of Kansas through football and education.

After finishing his career with the Jayhawks, Harris went through the NFL Draft process in 2011 only to be passed over by all 32 teams. Eventually, he was signed as an undrafted free-agent by Denver. Harris has turned into one of the best corners in football, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2014 along with his first Pro Bowl. In his time away from the game, Harris is affecting gaggles of youngsters with his camps, fittingly entitled the Chris Harris, Jr. Underdog Football Academy.

Within these camps, Harris, who says he began his community work while in college, explains that football is only a part of the participation.

“We put them in classroom and have them rotate rooms for finance, domestic violence … we teach them about everything. We want to educate the kids as much as possible and have them leave with an overload of information. All of these things will hopefully stay in their minds and hopefully we see results.”

Harris also takes part in Big Brothers Big Sisters, a foundation that helps takes care of less-fortunate children. He talks about these children not having food or being able to unwrap a gift under the Christmas tree, a tradition taken for granted by millions.

Harris continually keeps tabs on the children that go through his camp, making sure their education is going well. Throughout the Broncos’ season, Harris rewards youngsters doing their job in the classroom with anything from a meal to tickets for a game.

“The student success program we have. We have a great system for them and being able to make sure we are doing the right things. We have gotten a great response from a lot of the kids and parents.”

Since the days of Vietnam, burning draft cards and WaterGate, the current moment is America’s most turbulent period. Riots are breaking out across the landscape while racial lines are charged with ample voltage. The American people are on edge, waiting for the next scandal, crime or combination to rock newsdesks. For years, so much ugliness was swept under the rug with exposure hard to come by. In the age of social media and camera phones, nothing goes unchecked, and mostly for the better.

The world has finally begun to awaken to the horrific problem of domestic violence. In sports circles, it seems the NFL offices are constantly being pointed at where the most change needs to happen. Perhaps that is true, with even one incident being one too many.

In the United States, approximately 31 percent of women have been victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives, a gross and overwhelming number provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is estimated that 22.3 percent have experienced severe physical violence, per the same study. In the latest census, the United States was credited with 317 million citizens. The math tells us a disturbing message of how many women have to endure this unique type of pain.

America has a much larger domestic violence problem outside of the NFL than most talk about. It’s time to expand the narrative and stop painting all NFL players, who are mostly solid citizens, with the same broad brush. The league has become a symbol of everything wrong in our neighbor’s house, and in some cases, our own homes.

Most think of Aaron Rodgers as perhaps the best football player on Earth. While that characterization is fair, it doesn’t encompass the entire picture of who the man from Chico, Calif., truly is. Rodgers is one of the best people in the league today, constantly finding ways to give back and make a difference. Playing in the smallest market in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers can slide under the radar despite being an MVP and Super Bowl champion.

In May, Rodgers went on Celebrity Jeopardy and won $50,000, according to USA Today. Instead of going out and buying a car, or a new toy for the house, he donated the entire check to a charity called Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer. Rodgers has a history of trying to help children in need, whether they are sick or simply wanting a friend.

Some will say it is easy for a multi-million athlete to make that type of donation, but it isn’t. These men still have to take time out of extremely busy schedules to earn the money, and do it selflessly. There are millions of rich people in the United States. Few help others with their wealth.

Check out these YouTube videos of Rodgers:

There are plenty more at ItsAaron.com.

The National Football League Players Association realizes its public relations crisis is akin to a tidal wave yet to crest. Every time a horrific act is committed by one of its stars, it seems another is ready to raise the disgusting bar.

Since the start of 2014, there have been 12 NFL players arrested for either child or domestic abuse (Peterson was arrested for child abuse, the other 11 were domestic violence) per the USA Today database. Including practice squad and active players, there will be 2,016 players in the league at a given time. Statistically speaking, there has been an average of one arrest made for either child or domestic violence per 168 NFL players.

“For mostly worse, the headlines are dominated by the small percentage of players who may engage in misconduct. I wish we would have a more dedicated commitment to cover the good things that players do,” said NFLPA Assistant Executive Director External Affairs George Atallah. “We have had a number of players and former players in the office over the last two days who are giving their time to help former players in need. That’s one layer of it.

“For active players, this happens to be the time of year when players do football camps for people in their communities, and often those camps are free and targeted in low-income areas to help families and give them an opportunity to do things they couldn’t otherwise afford. I wish those stories would get more attention  but it’s our job to continue to highlight it.”

Atallah and the rest of the NFLPA have their work cut out for them. The NFL is easily the most popular sport in America, despite increasing concerns about head trauma and the aforementioned issues. With that brand of popularity comes increases scrutiny with millions of critical eyes watching for any misstep.

SportsCenter is never going to lead with a charitable act because nice doesn’t sell. A star athlete beating his wife with blatant disregard? Easily enough for three segments and subsequent discussions on shows built to dissect those topics such as First Take, Around The Horn, Outside The Lines and Pardon The Interruption. This is the Information Age, and the dirtier the conduct, the better the ratings.

“We have to be aggressive in promoting their work,” Atallah said. “That means having conversations like this one, every year, a handful of times a year. We issue press releases about good things players are doing in their communities, particularly in summer time with all the camps and around Thanksgiving. We need to call on other members of the media to focus on those things as much as they focus on the very few incidents a year that steal the headlines.”

Few human beings are better than New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Brees, who grew up in Texas with a middle-class family, has risen to stardom with money seemingly pouring out of his pockets following his most recent contract of five years and $100 million.

Brees has taken his fortune and spread happiness to legions of those in need of help. The 36-year-old and his family run the Brees Dream Foundation, which to date has racked up more than $22 million in contributions. The mission of this foundation is to raise money for those afflicted with cancer, providing them with a better quality of life, enhanced care, and education and opportunities for the children and families affected.

“He’s done tremendous work for people in all the communities you described,” Atallah said. “He’s one player we look to as an example of being a good member of his community, but he’s not the only one. (In June) we posted on our website Ram tight end Jared Cook partnering with an organization to help at-risk youth in St. Louis. … Drew is a great friend and has done a tremendous amount for the city of New Orleans and other foundations throughout the Brees Dream, but he is not the only one.”

In 2007, Brees and his wife, Brittany, donated $2 million to Purdue University’s academic arm of its intercollegiate athletics program, according to the school’s website. Both Drew and Brittany went to Purdue, and in late June announced another $1 million donation to the Purdue football program, the school announced.

In 2012, Brees pledged $1 million to victims of Hurricane Sandy, a devastating storm that hammered both New York and New Jersey, per Yahoo Sports. Brees has never played professionally, collegiately or in high school for any team in that area. At the same time, Brees donated $2 million to organizations and charities in the New Orleans area. As of Nov. 2012, Brees has donated more than $11 million to various New Orleans causes, including aid towards rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, a disaster which happened before he arrived.

Athletes are often seen as the beacon of our warped society. Somehow, men and women who can run faster, jump higher and throw farther than the average person are considered elite. They are put on pedestals they did not ask for but are forced to accept. Charles Barkley famously uttered “I am not a role model” in a controversial 1993 Nike advertisement campaign. While no athlete should be, all of them are.

Many have lived up to almost unreachable expectations. Legions of NFL players have gotten involved in communities they either hail from or play in. For many organizations, becoming active members of society is a terrific marketing tool, but also gives regular, blue-collar folks a chance to meet their heroes and see the person beyond the helmet.

“We did a survey and found 93 percent participated in at least one community relations event this year,” said Anna Isaacson, NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility “… often the club is supporting them as well. I think come in the rookie symposium one of the activities between learning about financial literacy and substance abuse is to show the importance of giving back and working with the youth in the league. The other thing is when we bring prospects in to the draft, they do hospital visits and Play 60 events.”

The NFL encourages players to get involved in some capacity, while understanding that each man has different goals. Many decide to participate in golf outings and hospital visits, but decide against starting charities. Although, both current and former players who want to begin foundations are offered help by the league via grants, according to Isaacson.

Isaacson stated that the league gives the players the tools to start their own charities and foundations if they wish to, all while acknowledging it is not for everyone. Harris disagrees, believing the NFL needs to do more and the players will follow suit.

“Only a few (players) have charities going that are truly making an impact, but guys don’t know how to start them,” Harris said. “I would say on our team, if we have a community event everyone shows up.

“…I definitely think the NFL could coach these guys up. They don’t know the first step.”

Meanwhile at NFL headquarters on Park Avenue in New York City, the men and women behind the shield are trying to market the best examples of what the league has to offer.

“I think we also specifically focus on players who have won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, and Drew Brees was one of those winners. Last year, Aaron Rodgers was a finalist. There are other winners like Charles Tillman and Thomas Davis, who won this year. They are prime and amazing examples of what NFL players can do for the community. We do elevate them and what to spread the word for what they are doing and become role models for other players around the league.”

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is devastatingly dominant. The 2011 first-round pick from the University of Wisconsin is an immense man with even larger talents, racking up 20.5 sacks in 2014, finishing second to only Justin Houston of Kansas City.

However, Watt’s best attributes come away from the football field. Watt, who is 26 years old, has started the Justin J. Watt Foundation and raised $1 million to date. The foundation is geared toward funding after-school athletic programs for kids from sixth to eighth grade, primarily in Texas or Wisconsin.

Watt has also been involved in numerous moments that tug at heartstrings. In November, Watt ordered Papa John’s pizzas for the Houston firefighters and police department, including a hand-written note thanking them for their service, with the following passage included at the bottom:

“As athletes, we often get the headlines and big crowds, but just like the men and women in our military, y’all are the ones who truly deserve the credit, appreciation, and admiration. I know it’s not much, but please enjoy lunch on me today. Thank you for all that you do!”

Watt also stood up for a youngster who was dealing with tough bullying issues, as shown in this YouTube video below:

Here’s another story with Watt taking a vested interest in three children who lost their parents in a tragic car accident. The two boys are paralyzed from the waist down.

The sacks make Watt famous and wealthy. His human spirit make the man important.

Every nine seconds, a woman in the United States is a victim of domestic violence.

It is a vicious cycle that has seemingly picked up steam for centuries, with humans fueled by rage and substances deciding to release their anger on an unsuspecting target. Most domestic violence cases are men striking women, although the reverse also takes place. Still, the majority of domestic violence is a man failing to show restraint and moral integrity.

Ruth Glenn has been working in the domestic violence field for the past 20 years. In Sept. 2014, Glenn joined the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence as the executive director and walked into a firestorm. Only a week after Glenn sat at her new desk, the video of Ray Rice punching his now-wife Janay Palmer was leaked to the press.

The video of Rice landing a right hook into the jaw of Palmer forever changed the way many Americans view domestic violence. It was a moment when the horrors millions of women face behind closed doors became a public spectacle, showcasing the worst of humanity.

“When people actually saw it in a visual display, the phones here rang for three weeks, because it moved people,” Glenn said. “They heard about domestic violence, heard it talked about, they have seen players apologize and organizations attempt – sometimes successfully – in holding some accountable. But to actually witness an act of domestic violence, we were appalled as a nation.”

Following the Rice scandal, the NFL was reeling. Commissioner Roger Goodell had previously suspended Rice for two games and the Baltimore Ravens, Rice’s now-former team, backed him. Rice was also the face of the NFL’s anti-bullying campaign.  When the video hit the mainstream, Goodell suspended the star running back immediately. The Ravens suddenly found religion as well, releasing him within hours. Rice has not played for another NFL team since.

In the immediate aftermath, the NFL reached out to the NCADV and began working with it. The two organizations continued to work together until approximately Jan. 2015, when the NFL suddenly stopped contacting the NCADV. It was a move that Glenn spoke about, albeit while holding back some feelings of clear exasperation.

“It has been very disappointing,” Glenn said. “But it is not the kind of fight the coalition a wants to take on right now. … “I believe they felt they had what they needed to move forward to develop a policy and move forward. They had decided they were going to work most closely with is the hotline.”

Glenn is referring to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which the NFL has made a commitment of $25 million over five years to. Even for a company that brings in over $8 billion per season, that does represent a sizable contribution in the right direction. While Glenn is not thrilled with the NFL for how it has handled its relationship with the NCADV, she does give the league credit for making an effort in this space.

“I think they are sincere in wanting to clean it up. I don’t believe we will be able to tell how their sincerity will be able to carry out real change for a year or two. You have to have a policy and enforce it.”

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, something the NFL is hopefully cognizant of. However, October is also the month when the league champions breast cancer awareness, another worthy cause that impacts of legions of women around the world. Ultimately, the league has a chance to make a statement about an issue much larger than itself.

“The NFL is just a small part of what we are seeing as as society as a whole,” Glenn said.

Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali is 31 years old and has never won a playoff game. He’s a virtual unknown to the casual NFL observer despite playing in five Pro Bowls and leading the league in sacks in 2010. Yet, he’s one of the most important men playing behind the shield every autumn Sunday.

Hali, who lived in Liberia as a child, escaped from the war-torn nation to live in New Jersey before going to Penn State University. Hali has never forgotten his roots or his great fortune, per the Chiefs official website.

“I am a Liberian; I spent about ten years in Liberia,” Hali noted. “I’ve been blessed to live in this country, to have an education and play this wonderful sport.”

Hali is charitable to the extreme, being nominated for the 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Hali was instrumental in helping to fight the Ebola virus in Africa last year, donating $50,000 in October to build a 70-bed treatment unit. His donation paid for more than half the construction cost.

The future Chiefs Hall-of-Famer also donates to the common man. In 2013, a report surfaced that Hali went out with friends to a Kansas City restaurant and racked up an $1,800 bill. Despite the restaurant adding a gratuity of $300 to the bill, Hali left an $1,000 tip of his own for the waiting staff, per KCTV5.

“It made our day. Hands down, it made our day,” server Joshua Roan said. “The staff was over the top. He was the last guest in the building. There was a lot of shouting and hollering after he left. We had to wait until he left. We had to keep it professional.”

Hali’s response was symbolic of the man he has become.

“I have been helped all my life to this point. However, I can give back I try to do that,” he said. “I do this all the time when I go out because these people work hard. I’m just fortunate to be in this position.”

Great player. Better person.

At some point, both America and the National Football League must be trailblazers in this fight against domestic violence. While the percentage of NFL players being arrested for hitting their girlfriends and wives is staggeringly low compared to the national average, the numbers are still too high.

“It definitely bothers you,” Harris said. “There is a lot of good going on the NFL and doing great things in the community. You are always going to have one or two players who get in trouble. We want to end that. We want all 53 players to be solid on each team. … We want to push that across to every team.”

Harris is one of the good guys in a league filled with fine men who are overshadowed by villains hiding behind facemasks. Only 26 years old, perhaps Harris and others of his ilk can foster change throughout a league known for tough men who live to inflict pain on somebody in a different color.

The game doesn’t need to change. A few playing, and millions watching, do.