NFL PLAY 60 THANKSGIVING WEEKEND GAMES ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO GET ACTIVE
New PLAY 60 PSA and Special PLAY 60 Features to Air During Thanksgiving Games
As friends and family gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, the NFL's tradition of encouraging children to be active will be featured during NFL PLAY 60-themed games throughout Thanksgiving weekend. NFL PLAY 60 is a league-wide initiative promoting youth health and wellness by encouraging kids to be physically active at least 60 minutes each day.
A new PLAY 60 PSA with Houston Texans defensive end J.J. WATT will debut on Thanksgiving and air through the rest of the season.
Three television features during Thanksgiving games will focus on communities impacted by PLAY 60. Along with special National Anthem and halftime performances, the NFL's commitment to inspire healthy lifestyles will be highlighted as follows:
- Detroit Lions (FOX, 12:30 PM ET): Thirteen-year-old "America's Got Talent" sensation JACKIE EVANCHO will perform the National Anthem for the Packers-Lions game. The halftime feature highlights the Lions, United Way and Pro Football Hall of Fame running back BARRY SANDERS and their work to help those in Detroit who face food insecurity. At halftime, Michigan native TONY LUCCA will perform with hundreds of local young people.
- Dallas Cowboys (CBS, 4:30 PM ET): Following the Anthem by MARY J. BLIGE and halftime concert by SELENA GOMEZat the Raiders-Cowboys game, the Cowboys PLAY 60 feature will highlight the North Texas Youth Education Town and its collaboration with the Salvation Army. The story focuses on youth football and features the work of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back EMMITT SMITH.
- Baltimore Ravens (NBC, 8:30 PM ET): Disney Channel star ZENDAYA COLEMAN will perform the National Anthem and at halftime, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will perform at the Steelers-Ravens game. The Ravens feature highlights players, including wide receiver TORREY SMITH, bringing the PLAY 60 message to families at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, an Army base outside Baltimore.
Two other stories will air during the Saints-Seahawks ESPN Monday Night Football game on December 2 and the Texans-Jaguars Thursday Night Football game on NFL Network December 5.
- Seattle Seahawks:This story depicts United Way and Seahawks players including tackleRUSSELL OKUNGinstalling a Fit-trail stations at Ryther, an organization that provides behavioral health services to children and families.
- Jacksonville Jaguars:The segment showcases Fuel Up to Play 60, the nation's largest in-school wellness program created by the NFL and National Dairy Council reaching 38 million students each year. Jaguars players including cornerback WILL BLACKMON spent time with students who have made a commitment to daily physical activity and eating right.
Beginning on Thanksgiving, teams will designate a home game as an 'NFL PLAY 60' game, which will include:
- Team-customized PLAY 60 eye-black. More than 500,000 sets will be given to fans in-stadiums and made available to players to wear throughout the weekend.
- NFL PLAY 60 field stencils, banners and goal post wraps.
- 'NFL PLAY 60 youth ambassadors' who will be recognized on-field. Ambassadors were selected by each team for their commitment to being healthy through programs like NFL FLAG Football, NFL Punt Pass & Kick (PP&K), the NFL-American Heart Association PLAY 60 Challenge, and Fuel Up to Play 60 .
Also on Thanksgiving, the NFL PLAY 60 campaign will be featured on the New York Daily News float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. NFL legends JOE NAMATH, BART OATES, and HINES WARD, accompanied by their families, will stand on the float. In celebration of Super Bowl XLVIII, the legends will be joined by young people from two local Boys and Girls Clubs who have been positively affected by the NFL PLAY 60 campaign, Snowflake Youth Foundation and the NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee.
"We are proud of the work of our players and teams in supporting the health and fitness of young people through our NFL Play 60 initiative," said COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL. "Thanksgiving is an appropriate time to reflect on the importance of staying physically active year-round as part of maintaining good health."
Beginning on Thanksgiving the NFL will host a special auction on its NFL Auction platform (www.nfl.com/auction) for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Last spring, NFL PLAY 60 became the 'Official Champion of Play' at St. Jude, supporting the hospital's Child Life program and helping give all kids a chance to 'play 60.'
Designed to tackle childhood obesity, NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and wellness with partner organizations. PLAY 60 is implemented locally as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. Since PLAY 60 was launched in 2007, the NFL has committed more than $250 million to youth health and fitness through programming, grants, and media time for public service announcements. The NFL and its teams have constructed more than 175 NFL Youth Fitness Zones and integrated programs into more than 73,000 schools since the campaign launched. Last year, the NFL and its teams hosted more than 2,000 PLAY 60 events and built nearly 30 Youth Fitness Zones.
For the third consecutive Thanksgiving, communities can enter a contest for a chance to receive a visit from the NFL PLAY 60 Bus featured in the PLAY 60 commercials. Schools and community centers can enter the NFL PLAY 60 Bus Contest by writing two short essays and submitting a photo on how the PLAY 60 Bus could help kids in their town get more active and healthy. One deserving community will receive a visit from the PLAY 60 Bus, which will distribute sports equipment and gear. Twenty-four first-prize winners will receive $500 worth of new PE equipment. Fans can visit www.NFLRUSH.com to learn more.
NFL teams help their communities 'play 60' all year long. Throughout the season, the NFL PLAY 60 bus has traveled across to country, making stops at team community events along the way. Following is a list of ways NFL teams will celebrate youth health and fitness at upcoming home games.
The Oakland Raiders will host 11 students from Indian Valley Elementary School at their Dec. 15 game in recognition of the school taking first place in the PLAY 60 Challenge. Students will line up on the sideline along with the players for the National Anthem and will be honored during the game for winning the PLAY 60 Challenge. The game will include the PP&K championship.
