Why Global Citizens Should Care
The causes these athletes support, such as improving the quality of education for under-served students, align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. You may not be able to play in the Super Bowl like these sports stars, but you can join them in taking action on important issues here.

This Sunday, viewers will tune into the Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event in the US, and, for many of the players involved, the culmination of a lifelong dream.

Global Citizen is dreaming big as well, having just announced our biggest campaign yet, Global Goal Live: The Possible Dream, with the aim of ending extreme poverty in the next 10 years.

As it happens, some of the athletes at this year’s Super Bowl are not just outstanding football players, but global citizens as well.

These six players are doing their part to increase access to quality education, promote healthy oceans, and improve access to nutritious food.

Take Action: Ending Extreme Poverty Is a Possible Dream — But How Will We Get There?

Richard Sherman, San Francisco 49ers

Famous for shutting down opposing wide receivers, Richard Sherman also tackles education inequality in his spare time. He has his own charity, Blanket Coverage, that provides food and school supplies to students in low-income communities.

Earlier this season, Sherman wrote a check for more than $7,000 to pay off school lunch debt for a middle school in Santa Clara, California.

Derrick Nnadi, Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi has also shown his support for education. Before the start of the most current season, he paid for 10 children in the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kansas City to go on a shopping spree for school supplies. He also sent backpacks of school supplies to children with the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Virginia earlier in 2019.

“It was very fulfilling to help some special people get ready for the school year ahead,” he told the NFL Players Association.

Arik Armstead, San Francisco 49ers

A Sacramento native, Arik Armstead founded the Armstead Academic Project, which helps students acquire school supplies, and access creative writing workshops and interactive programs in which they can work in smaller groups, according to NBC Sports Bay Area. 

“Armstead not only funds these programs, but he is also actively involved as a positive voice and role model,” NBC Sports reported.

Last year, some of the stories written at Armstead’s workshop were even published as a collection.

Alex Okafor, Kansas City Chiefs

Alex Okafor will miss the Super Bowl due to injury, but he was still a key piece of the Chiefs' season. He also makes a big impact off the field. In 2017, Okafor and his then-teammate Kenny Vaccaro helped build a school in Kenya with the Blessed Hope Project.

“These kids are always happy,” he said in a video about his experience. “You never see them crying, complaining, anything, and they have the least out of anybody I’ve ever seen."

Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers

For the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats campaign, 49ers running back Raheem Mostert chose to wear special cleats to raise awareness for the work done by the Ocean Conservancy.

“Growing up in Florida, I developed a love for surfing and in turn the ocean,” he told the Ocean Conservancy. “As a father, I look forward to my son sharing that same love, but I know the only way that can happen is if we look out for our oceans."

Dustin Colquitt, Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt is a three-time nominee for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, honoring players for their off-the-field charity work. He is deeply involved in TeamSmile, a charity that provides free dental care for under-served children.

Best of luck to both teams in the big game, and especially to these six global citizens.

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Defeat Poverty

These 6 Super Bowl Athletes Are Global Citizens Off the Field

By Brandon Wiggins