NFL Shines a Spotlight on the Issues and Causes Important to Players, Beginning This Week with My Cause, My Cleats Campaign

As part of its ongoing work in collaboration with NFL players, the NFL today announced a multi-month focus on player causes, beginning with today's My Cause, My Cleats Unboxing Day. Across the league today, teams will debut their players' custom cleats for this weekend's My Cause, My Cleats campaign, now in its third year.

"The philanthropic passions of NFL players come to life in incredible ways all year long," said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. "We are proud to expand our efforts to highlight the extraordinary impact of NFL players and teams in communities across the country."

For games during Weeks 13-15, each NFL team will designate one home game as their My Cause, My Cleats game; players will wear customized cleats reflecting their commitment to charitable causes during these games.

More than 800 players are planning to showcase their causes on-field during My Cause, My Cleats games. The topics players selected represent hundreds of different charitable organizations, from ones that focus on bullying prevention to those that work with autistic youth to those that support families impacted by gun violence. Players will share images of their cleats and the stories behind them on social media, using the hashtag #mycausemycleats. Players and teams worked directly with local customizers as well as Nike, Under Armour and Adidas to design their cleats.

Players will have the opportunity to raise funds for the causes of their choosing by auctioning their cleats at NFL Auction; 100% of funds raised will be donated to charities selected by players. Fans may bid on game-issued player cleats at NFL.com/Auction and help players raise funds for their chosen causes. In addition, fans can visit www.nfl.com/mycausemycleats to learn more about each player's chosen cause.

The focus on player causes will continue through December and January. Beginning in Week 14, the league will recognize the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, presented by Nationwide. The 32 team nominees will wear a special helmet decal through the end of the season, in recognition of their accomplishments on and off the field.

During the months of January and February, the NFL will focus specifically on the cause of social justice as part of a new Inspire Change initiative. This new platform will highlight league, player and team programs and initiatives that reduce barriers to opportunity, with a priority on supporting improvements in education and economic advancement, community-police relations, and the criminal justice system. It will include the debut of a new PSA, the hashtag #inspirechange, as well as digital content, social media support, grassroots funding, community activation and new nationwide programming. In addition, the NFL Network multi-part series Impact & Influence – currently airing in short form on NFL Network and digitally on www.nfl.com/impactandinfluence and through NFL social channels – will air episodes in January and February focusing on player-led work to promote social and racial equality.

More details will be forthcoming on each element of the player cause platform as it launches.

Additional details will be forthcoming on each element of the player cause platform as it launches. A list of player causes can be found here. ​