Dallas NFL Alumni Encourage Covid-19 Vaccination
Former Cowboys Promote Vaccine Confidence Through Awareness & Education Campaign; Will Host Vaccination Clinic in Conjunction with Wheels for Wellness on September 18
DALLAS, TX (September 10, 2021) – A new campaign from NFL Alumni Health, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), aims to build COVID-19 vaccination confidence in cities around the country – including Dallas-Fort Worth. Former Dallas Cowboys All-Pro cornerback and three-time world champion, Texas A&M All American, and NFL Alumni ambassador Kevin Smith, and former Miami Dolphins safety and NFL Alumni Dallas Chapter president Liffort Hobley are among the more than 50 players lending their voices to the education and awareness campaign, which encourages people to get informed, address their vaccine questions with their healthcare providers and make the decision to get vaccinated. The initiative will include public service announcements, a campaign website, social media posts and local events in collaboration with healthcare providers and public health organizations.
To encourage vaccination, local NFL Alumni will team up with Tarrant County Public Health in partnership with the NFL Alumni Dallas Chapter to host a mobile vaccination clinic occurring in conjunction with the Wheels for Wellness: Driven to Fight Prostate Cancer benefit car show. The event will provide an opportunity for participants to receive free doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, and enjoy music, food, and entertainment. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 18 in Downtown Fort Worth with the mobile vaccination clinic stationed at 701 Houston Street (southeast corner of 6th and Houston). Healthcare information and free PSA screenings will also be available through the Prostate Cancer Resource Center of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth.
Smith, Hobley, and other NFL alumni will be on-hand to meet and greet participants and sign autographs. These alumni include former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman and world champion Tony Casillas, former Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver and world champion and NFL Alumni ambassador Billy Davis, former Canadian Football wide receiver and NFL Alumni Dallas vice president Romby Bryant, former Green Bay Packers guard Bryan Collins, and former Green Bay Packers tight end and world champion Jermichael Finley. Attendees will also be able to enter a raffle to win a player-signed NFL Alumni football.
“The NFL Alumni mission is caring for our own, caring for kids and caring for our community – for us, that means helping Dallas-Fort Worth, the state of Texas and Cowboys Nation rally together as a team to end the pandemic,” said Hobley. “We hope that by speaking out, we might inspire people who may have concerns about vaccination, to talk to their doctors and make an informed decision to protect themselves, their families and our community.”
Millions of people in the U.S. have received COVID-19 vaccines, which has undoubtedly saved many lives across the country. But, despite widespread availability of vaccines and the emergence of the new, highly contagious Delta variant, millions of Americans have not yet opted to get vaccinated. Just over 58% of Texas’ vaccine-eligible populations have been fully vaccinated. The state is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations and new cases – per the CDC, the Delta variant is responsible for more than 93% of those new cases in Texas.
“I have been blessed to spend my entire college and professional football career in the great state of Texas—a state and community for which I care deeply,” said Smith. “Vaccinations help protect the most vulnerable among us. I have an 85- year-old mother and getting vaccinated for me is about keeping not just myself, but also my family and those in my community safe. I want to encourage everyone to talk to their healthcare providers to get their questions answered and make an informed decision to protect themselves and others.”
Nationally, more than 50 current and former NFL players have agreed to participate in the vaccination awareness effort, including 20 world champions, 27 Pro Bowlers and 16 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
NFL Alumni Health is a wholly-owned subsidiary launched by NFL Alumni, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, to improve the health and wellness of NFL Alumni members and the broader public.
Other NFL Alumni Chapter cities and regions participating in the program include Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, the Carolinas, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, the Gulf Coast, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New York/New Jersey, Northern California, the Pacific Northwest, Philadelphia, Richmond, Southern California, Tampa Bay and Tennessee.
For more information about the campaign and resources, go to www.nflalumnihealth.org/covid-19.
About NFL Alumni and NFL Alumni Health
Founded in 1967 by a small group of successful retired NFL players, NFL Alumni is one of the oldest and most well respected retired player organizations in professional sports. NFL Alumni’s mission is to inform, assist, and serve players in their post-NFL lives. NFL Alumni Health is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NFL Alumni, which is devoted to improving the health and wellness of NFL Alumni members as well as the general public, by providing informational resources, programs and services. Visit www.nflalumnihealth.org.
