FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NFL-56 11/19/99

NFL PLAYERS SHARE GOOD FORTUNE DURING THANKSGIVING WEEK

Wins and losses won’t be the only thing on the minds of many National Football League players during Thanksgiving week.

NFL players and teams will participate in numerous programs to help the less fortunate throughout Thanksgiving week. These efforts have become an annual NFL Thanksgiving and holiday tradition.

SAMPLING OF 1999 NFL THANKSGIVING OUTREACH

ARIZONA CARDINALS: The Cardinals will be teaming with the Salvation Army to collect non-perishable food items for families facing economic hardship during the upcoming holiday season. Cardinals players’ and coaches’ wives will be accepting donations on Sunday, November 21 at Sun Devil Stadium. In collaboration with the Cardinals, Campbell’s Soup donated 2,000 cans of soup that will also be distributed to needy families.

ATLANTA FALCONS: Players will serve Thanksgiving dinner to more then 500 of Atlanta’s homeless on Tuesday, November 23 at the Crossroads Community Ministry……Wide receiver TERANCE MATHIS will purchase and distribute more than 1,000 turkeys to needy families in Atlanta’s Summerhill district and surrounding neighborhoods.

BALTIMORE RAVENS: Cornerback JAMES TRAPP, tight end A.J. OFODILE and defensive end KEITH WASHINGTON will distribute 200 turkeys among area churches and organizations that service the homeless……The Ravens’ annual holiday food drive will be held on Sunday, December 5……Guard JEFF BLACKSHEAR has teamed with Mars Supermarkets to provide 100 full-course Thanksgiving meals that will be distributed throughout Baltimore with the help of the Police Athletic League.

BUFFALO BILLS: For the fourth year in a row, the Bills will help feed the hungry by purchasing turkeys and other food items for a Thanksgiving meal at the City Mission in Buffalo. Quarterback Alex Van Pelt and his wife Brooke will lead the group that will serve the meal. Many other Bills players will also participate……Nose tackles TED WASHINGTON and PAT WILLIAMS will donate 500 turkeys with all the trimmings to several Buffalo-area charities.

CAROLINA PANTHERS: After working on a Habitat for Humanity house in Monroe, North Carolina for the team’s Hometown Huddle project, linebacker ERNEST JONES and guard ANTHONY REDMON will return to the home and deliver a Thanksgiving meal to the family that now lives in the house. Panthers players and team chaplain MIKE BUNKLEY will continue the Panthers’ four-year tradition of delivering 100 Thanksgiving meals to less-fortunate families in the Carolinas.

CINCINNATI BENGALS: At this Sunday's home game, the Bengals will hold their annual Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive. Additionally, several Bengals players and members of the front office will volunteer by preparing and serving food at two area shelters in downtown Cincinnati.

CLEVELAND BROWNS: The Browns Turkey Day festivities will begin on Sunday, November 21 with a food drive at Cleveland Browns Stadium……On Tuesday, November 23, several players will visit the Cleveland Clinic Foundation/Children’s Hospital. Later that day, several players and front-office staff will be on hand to serve Thanksgiving dinner to 200 homeless Clevelanders……On Wednesday, November 24, the Browns will hold their Turkey Give-Away at the Cleveland area Empowerment Zone, and on Sunday, November 28, they will conduct their Toys for Tots Drive at the stadium.

DALLAS COWBOYS: During their Thanksgiving Day game, the Cowboys and country singer Clint Black will help the Salvation Army kick off its holiday fundraising drive with a special halftime show. Black will be joined by 100 Salvation Army officials, children, Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, and former Cowboys players. The show is the third "National Kettle Kick-off" presented by the Cowboys. In addition, coaches’ and players’ wives will help collect money for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle at the game……The Cowboys will also be visiting the Dallas Life Foundation Homeless Shelter on Tuesday, November 24.

DENVER BRONCOS: The Broncos’ staff, coaches, alumni, and current players and families will spend a day sorting, boxing and delivering a complete ready-to-cook meal to the needy in the Denver metropolitan area through "Daddy Bruce’s Thanksgiving," a Denver tradition that provides 3,000 meals for the less fortunate……The Broncos will also conduct their annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway in which 200 turkeys are donated to inner-city and metropolitan-area agencies that feed those without the means to a traditional holiday dinner……The Broncos will also team with the Denver Rescue Mission, a residential and day-care facility for the homeless, to provide more than 175,000 meals at the first annual "Great Thanksgiving Banquet."

DETROIT LIONS: Lions defensive end ROBERT PORCHER and linebacker TRACY SCROGGINS will distribute 500 turkeys to those in need in Detroit through Focus: HOPE, a civil and human rights organization that initiates solutions to the problems of hunger, economic disparity, inadequate education and racial divisiveness in the metropolitan Detroit area……Linebacker ALLEN ALDRIDGE will help serve Thanksgiving dinner to nearly 300 residents and area homeless at the Pontiac Rescue Mission soup kitchen……The ninth annual Detroit Lions Coat Drive will be held on Thanksgiving Day at the Lions’ 60th annual Thanksgiving game. Fans are asked to donate clean, new or used warm coats or blankets to help keep the needy for the winter. The coats will be distributed by The Salvation Army. Continuing a tradition, the Lions will host a halftime spectacular, saluting United Way and featuring the popular recording group THIRD EYE BLIND. After the game, Lions quarterback CHARLIE BATCH and his mother will host a Thanksgiving dinner for any players who cannot be with their families on the holiday.

GREEN BAY PACKERS: Quarterback Brett FaVRe and his wife DEANNA will work with the Salvation Army in Green Bay and his hometown of Gulfport, Mississippi, to donate 50 Thanksgiving meals to the needy in each city……Safety Darren Sharper will join local organizations in hosting the Second Annual Thanksgiving ’99 Kids Café. The dinner is designed to help feed less-fortunate youngsters and their families in the Milwaukee community.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Colts Turkey Day will begin on Tuesday, November 23, at Indianapolis’ Brookside Park where defensive tackle TONY MC COY and his "Project H.O.P.E." will be serving Thanksgiving dinner to more than 150 families……Tackle TARIK GLENN and the offensive line are chipping in to buy a large number of turkeys that they will distribute to needy families on Tuesday……Also on Tuesday, the Colts will continue their annual event in which players will be delivering and serving Thanksgiving dinner to a homeless shelter in downtown Indianapolis……On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, November 22-24, the Colts will be conducting a "Traveling Tailgate" party for their fans. A huge RV will be traveling around Indianapolis serving turkey sausages, eggs, and turkey burgers……Wide receiver MARVIN HARRISON and his mother are organizing a Turkey giveaway in Philadelphia during Thanksgiving weekend. Marvin is traveling to his hometown and distributing 88 (his uniform number) turkeys to families in his former neighborhood.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Jaguars players will be out in force Thanksgiving week delivering turkeys and handing out food baskets to local homeless shelters and rescue missions…….Offensive guard BEN COLEMAN and wife Krista will sponsor their annual "Big Ben Essay Contest." Working with United Way elementary full-service schools, children and their parents are encouraged to write essays on what they are most thankful for in their lives. The winning school is awarded a pep rally with several Jaguars players and each student from that school receives a turkey for their family on the morning of November 23. Later in the day, the Colemans, Jacksonville players and volunteers will distribute 310 turkeys to students and their families…….The individual units of the Jaguars’ offensive line, defensive line and the team’s secondary, plus wide receivers JIMMY SMITH and KEENAN MC CARDELL through their foundations, purchased turkeys for distribution to the needy. The total estimated Jaguars turkey tally amounts to 1,400 turkeys (18,200 pounds/more than nine tons)……On Tuesday, November 23, Jaguars Foundation Chair/CEO DELORES BARR WEAVER will read "Uncle Willie's Soup Kitchen" with a local child at Jacksonville's annual Empty Bowls luncheon. Patrons who attend the annual food bank fund-raiser eat bread and soup in clay bowls made by local children in arts and crafts classes……The donated food collected at the Jaguars 5th Annual Holiday Food Drive will be distributed to more than 250 nonprofit agencies in northeast Florida.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Linebacker DERRICK THOMAS led a Thanksgiving drive to collect more than $20,000 from fellow teammates, coaches and the club's President, General Manager and C.E.O. CARL PETERSON. With an additional contribution from Price Chopper, the Chiefs will be able to provide enough food to feed 1,000 families on Thanksgiving through the Allstars Community Outreach Center and other local food pantries……Volunteers from the Third-and-Long Foundation and members of the Kansas City Chiefs Red Coaters will assemble bags of groceries on Monday, November 22 at Arrowhead Stadium. Drivers from the Big Sky Distributors of Missouri will distribute the food baskets to those who are confined to their homes.

MIAMI DOLPHINS: On Tuesday, November 16, several players went to various food-bank locations to distribute turkeys…… Dolphins players, along with the team mascot, will be serving a Thanksgiving dinner at the Broward County Central Homeless Assistance Center/Huizenga Family Campus on Saturday, November 20.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Linebacker DWAYNE RUDD and several teammates will visit the Salvation Army Harbor Lights in Minneapolis on Tuesday, November 23, where they will help serve a pre-Thanksgiving meal, sign autographs and speak to the 150-200 fans at the shelter.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Every Thanksgiving, the Patriots team up with Goodwill/Morgan Memorial in Roxbury, Massachusetts for a "Basket-Giveaway Program." The partnership allows local low-income families to receive baskets with turkey, ham and the trimmings. Over the past nine years, the partnership has helped over 500 families enjoy the holidays. Not only do Patriots players and the foundation donate the money to purchase the food, but the players and their families hand out the food baskets and spend time with recipients. The Patriots’ Women’s Association also lends a helping hand in putting the baskets together.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: In the Saints’ growing Thanksgiving tradition, several players will be donating turkeys to needy families. Kicker DOUG BRIEN leads the project which now feeds nearly 1,000 inner-city families. The Saints/Dryades YMCA Thanksgiving Dinner is completely funded by New Orleans players, who contributed more than $10,000 this year. On Monday, November 22, at the Dryades YMCA, Saints players will be presenting the Thanksgiving dinners to the recipients.

NEW YORK GIANTS: For the eighth year, the Giants will donate approximately 30 turkeys to the Center for Food Action in Englewood, New Jersey. On Tuesday, November 23, members of the team will make their annual visit to Eva’s Kitchen in Paterson, New Jersey to serve lunch to homeless men and women in the area.

NEW YORK JETS: Wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson will be giving out 300 turkeys to community centers in the Harlem area of New York City and Hempstead, Long Island (the team’s training site) on Saturday, November 20……On Sunday, November 7, a canned food drive was held at the Jets’ game that will benefit the Interfaith Nutrition Network. Campbell’s Soup-Chunky also donated 2,000 cans of soup on behalf of Jets quarterback RAY LUCAS to the Interfaith Nutrition Network.

OAKLAND RAIDERS: Defensive tackle Russell Maryland and several other players will visit the Alameda County Food Bank and drop off several hundred turkeys and hams for the holidays……Raiders players, coaches and staff will donate turkeys and hams to needy Oakland-area families for Thanksgiving in addition to helping serve Thanksgiving meals at local Oakland food shelters.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Eagles tackle TRA THOMAS, running back DUCE STALEY, quaterback DOUG PEDERSON and tight end JED WEAVER will be visiting the Salvation Army on Monday night, November 22 to serve dinner to the homeless.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS: The team will begin its Thanksgiving festivities on Monday, November 22 with linebacker JASON GILDON and wife JOY hosting the Steelers’ annual Thanksgiving dinner for the families in Light of Life Rescue Ministries' Family Assistance Program. The Gildons, along with several of Jason's teammates and their families, will serve dinner to homeless women and their children who have been adversely affected by drugs and alcohol……On Tuesday, November 23, cornerback DEWAYNE WASHINGTON will work with the United Way of Allegheny County and the Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania on a Thanksgiving Meal Distribution Program that will feed nearly 200 Pittsburgh families who would otherwise not be able to afford Thanksgiving dinner. The program will take place at the Salvation Army in Homestead, Pennsylvania……Steelers running back JEROME BETTIS, along with several teammates, will deliver food to several Salvation Army locations on Wednesday, November 24. The food will be transported on "Jerome's Bus," which is being used throughout the season for numerous charitable activities. Food is being supplied courtesy of Giant Eagle supermarkets.

ST. LOUIS RAMS: For the fifth consecutive year, Rams players and front-office staff will join forces to feed needy families in the community. The players collected $5,000, which was matched by the club, to purchase turkeys with all the trimmings. These "turkey baskets" will be given to 864 families served by the Urban League of Metro St. Louis. On Tuesday, November 23, Rams players will be at three distribution sites (East St. Louis, IL; Central West End; North St. Louis) to hand out the dinners to recipients……In addition, the Rams’ offensive line will serve Thanksgiving dinner for the second year in a row to the less fortunate. On Wednesday, November 24, the line, led by tackles FRED MILLER and ORLANDO PACE, will purchase and serve dinner to families at Loaves and Fishes, a homeless shelter in St. Louis.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: Wide receiver MIKHAEL RICKS will be hosting a food drive in conjunction with Two Tons of Fun, an after-school and weekend activity center for youth in San Diego, and the Chargers’ community resource center. The drive kicked off on October 16 at Wal Mart with Ricks signing autographs. Food was collected at Wal Mart through November 19. On November 20, 100 complete Thanksgiving meals will be given away at the store……On Monday, November 22, the Chargers will distribute 200 complete Thanksgiving meals to the needy at their training facility. The boxed meals are being purchased by Chargers players and donated by Ralph’s/Food 4 Less grocery stores……On Tuesday, November 23, the Chargers will hold their 21st annual blood drive at the Town and Country Convention Center. It is the world's largest single-day blood drive, with a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records. This year, the Chargers will try to break their own record, which stands at just over 2,100 pints of blood.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: On Tuesday November 23, cornerback ANTHONY PARKER, defensive end JEFF POSEY, running back TERRY JACKSON, punter CHAD STANLEY, kicker WADE RICHEY, tight end JOE ZELENKA and safety LANCE SCHULTERS will help serve dinner at the Emergency Housing Consortium in San Jose……On Wednesday, November 24, linebackers LEE WOODALL, TONY PETERSON and JOE WESLEY, defensive tackle JUNIOR BRYANT and Schulters will deliver 300 turkey dinners to the Olinger Community Center in East San Jose. These efforts are in conjunction with The Champs Foundation, City Team Ministry and the Police Athletic League.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: The club will host a Thanksgiving luncheon at the Seahawks Academy where players, cheerleaders, alumni and staff will be in attendance to serve Thanksgiving lunch to at-risk middle-school students……At least 15 players will also appear at a Thanksgiving luncheon for 1,000 at-risk students from the Community in Schools program. These students have set and achieved personal goals in order to be able to attend the event……The Seahawks and Costco Wholesale also hosted a food drive on November 14 that will continue throughout the month to benefit Northwest Harvest.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Buccaneers players will be out in force Thanksgiving week. On Sunday, November 21, the Buccaneers and Raymond James Financial will work with four Bay-area charities to conduct a holiday food drive at Raymond James Stadium……On Tuesday, November 23, tackle PAUL GRUBER, center TONY MAYBERRY, tackle JASON ODOM, punter MARK ROYALS, kicker MARTIN GRAMATICA, tight end PATRICK HOPE and safety ERIC VANCE will stuff Thanksgiving food baskets at Metropolitan Ministries, a local homeless shelter……On Thanksgiving Day, guard FRANK MIDDLETON, linebacker DERRICK BROOKS, Mayberry and Royals will serve a Thanksgiving meal to homeless, abused and neglected children from the Joshua House, Metropolitan Ministries and The Children’s home……Running back WARRICK DUNN will kick off his annual Home for the Holidays campaign in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Through this program, Dunn makes down payments on new houses for single mothers and then works with local businesses to fill each home with necessities such as furniture. In addition, Dunn stocks each kitchen with food, including a turkey with all the trimmings for a Thanksgiving dinner.

TENNESSEE TITANS: Wide receiver Yancey Thigpen will host the second annual Edward Thigpen Harvest of Love Dinner, in honor of his father, for residents of two local homeless shelters on the evening of November 24 with a turkey dinner at a local church……The Tennessee Titans Women's Association is involved in an area food drive to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank. In addition to collecting non-perishable food items at Adelphia Coliseum prior to the game on November 21, the association also volunteered to collect food for The Second Harvest Food Bank at four area Kroger Grocery Stores……Wide receiver CHRIS SANDERS’ foundation will host a celebration Thanksgiving Dinner at Planet Hollywood for the families that were formerly homeless but with assistance from the foundation have now moved into their own homes……Cornerback ANTHONY DORSETT is heading a group of fellow defensive backs that will provide 50 baskets of food to area disadvantaged families. The players will deliver the baskets Thanksgiving Eve so that the families will be able to prepare their meal in the comfort of their own home.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS: The team will provide a turkey dinner and a holiday celebration to residents of local homeless shelters under the direction of Assistant General Manager BOBBY MITCHELL and the Shaw Food Committee. The Redskins raised funds to provide more than 900 baskets and 2,000 turkey dinners to less fortunate families……The players will spend their off-day (Tuesday, November 23) the week of Thanksgiving with children in the in-patient units at Children’s National Medical Center……Quarterback BRAD JOHNSON and wife NIKKI, along with other Redskins players and their families and coaches and staff will host a Thanksgiving dinner in partnership with Martz Gold Line/Gray Line Motorcoach Company and Chicken Out for residents of six shelters in Washington, DC; Maryland; and Virginia……On Thursday, November 18, underprivileged guests were treated to a turkey dinner with all of the fixings courtesy of Chicken Out in a festive setting on the club level of Redskins Stadium. Redskins players and families helped serve the meal…….Running back STEPHEN DAVIS, wide receiver ALBERT CONNELL, cornerbacks CHAMP BAILEY and DARRYL POUNDS and other Redskins will spend Tuesday, November 23 at Children’s National Medical Center visiting with the youngsters who will spend their holiday in the in-patient units of the hospital. The Redskins will spend the first part of their visit conducting a holiday-themed activity in the main lobby of the hospital followed by a tour of the wards to spend time with the children in the individual units.