Photo by Kelsey Nicole Nelson
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) held the 4th annual Community MVP Day on Thursday, Feb. 5, bringing students and NFL players for activities in Emerson Elementary School in Oakland, California.
The day featured field day activities for 165 students from third grade to fifth grade, lunch with players, and encouraging words from former and current players.
It provided youth engagement, social impact and service, including a $15,000 check presentation.
Supporting partners included School Specialty, The Conscious Kid and Vituity Cares contributed to $15,000, tripling from the NFLPA’s $5,000 grant used for funding and providing resources for the school.
The annual event highlighted the players bringing back to the local community in the Super Bowl host city and aiming to support in educating the next generation.
NFLPA Community MVP weekly winners Denver Broncos Garett Bolles and Philadelphia Eagles Nakobe Dean were present, including other active NFL players such as San Francisco 49ers Bryce Huff and Indianapolis Colts Kenny Moore II. Former players were also present including former linebackers Chris Draft and Darius Fleming, and former fullback Keith Smith.
During 18 weeks of the NFL season, the NFLPA honors a player for their efforts giving to their community and receives $10,000 to their foundation or choice of charity.
Dean was selected as the Community MVP for Week 9, honoring his efforts in his The Kind Hearts 4 Lyfe foundation and the Oral Health Impact donating 1,000 winter coats for youth. They also gave 600 meals and 200 free haircuts with Moravia Health.
The Kind Hearts 4 Lyfe foundation provides services in mental health, academics, athletic camps, food and veteran programs.
Moreover, five finalists were named for the 2026 NFLPA Alan Page Community Award, including Bolles, Buffalo Bills Dion Dawkins, Dean, Baltimore Ravens Derrick Henry and Chicago Bears Caleb Williams.
Bolles won the award which recognizes an active player making significant impact in their respective team city and other communities and previously won the NFLPA Community MVP in Week 1.
He also received a $100,000 donation to his foundation, the GB3 Foundation where he and his wife established a facility for children dealing with the speech disorder that their son lives with, apraxia.
Founded in 1956, the NFLPA is the union representing the players in the NFL in their concerns as well as protecting their health, safety and finance.
It provides players needs in health, revenue and insurance benefits by negotiating with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), running until the 2030 season.
