Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Photo: NFL
For nearly a year now, both NFL teams heading to Super Bowl LV on Sunday have stepped up to help those in need amid the ongoingcoronavirus pandemic.
Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have both contributed financially to COVID-19 relief. Their respective quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes andTom Brady, have also given back to help affected communities and businesses.
Last March, Mahomes, 25,announcedhe was donating $100,000 to local organizations in Kansas City. In addition, he pledged 15,000 meals toHarvesters, a community food network in Kansas City, after Chiefs wide receiver Ty Hilldonated 6,000 mealsto the organization.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce then got in on the action andpledged to donate12,000 meals total to Harvesters, while safety Tyrann Mathieulater promiseda 30,000 meal donation.
Combined, the four players contributed 63,000 total meals to Harvesters.
Patrick Mahomes.Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Later in March 2020, the Chiefs and the Hunt Family Foundation made a significant contribution to theKansas City Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund,which has provided over $14 million to hundreds of organizations across the Kansas City region.
In addition, the teampledged a donationtoCornerstones of Care, which supports children and families and is based out of Kansas City.
Most recently, the Chiefs raffled off nearly 10,000 tickets at $5 each for the “Home Sweet Home” banners that hung along the parade route downtown after the team’s Super Bowl victory last year. 43 banners were made available and a portion of proceeds is going towards COVID-19 relief, the citysaid on Facebooklast month.
The Chiefs also have a page on their website dedicated to COVID-19 resources which can be foundhere.
Kansas.David Eulitt/Getty Images
Like Kansas City, Tampa Bay and Brady’s charitable efforts began at the onset of the pandemic early last year.
In April, Brady, 43,announcedthat he was partnering withWheels Upto donate 10 million meals toFeeding America. The organizationrespondedto Brady’s donation on Twitter, writing, “Such an amazing gift! Thank you, Tom, for helping us get much-needed meals to our neighbors during this uncertain time.”
That same month, the Glazer family — owners of the Buccaneers — provided 5 million meals through a donation to Feeding Tampa Bay, the team said on itswebsite.
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Also in April of last year, Buccaneers players Alex Cappa, Ali Marpet, Donovan Smith, Ryan Jensen, Cameron Brate, Lavonte David and O.J. Howard allordered meals from local restaurants and donated themto Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa.
Bucs General Manager Jason Licht later donated meals from 717 South Restaurant in Tampa to 500 healthcare workers, as did head coach Bruce Arians soon after, the team said on itswebsite.
Tom Brady.Leon Halip/Getty Images
Brady also participated in two events last spring that benefited COVID-19 relief.
The first wasMatt DamonandBen Affleck’s celebrity poker tournament, All in For America’s Charity, that raised money forFeeding America. Participants — which included celebs like Brady,Adam Sandler,Jason Bateman, Tobey Maguire,Adam Levine,Bryan Cranston, andSarah Silverman— had to donate $10,000 to secure their spot. At the end of the event, around $1.75 million was raised.
Due to the airborne transmission of COVID-19 andcase spikes across the country, the CDC continuallyadvises against gatherings of large groupsand recommendssix feet of distance and face coverings at all times.
The second event Brady participated in wasThe Match: Champions for Charity, which featured a showdown between Brady andPhil MickelsonagainstPeyton ManningandTiger Woodsto benefit COVID-19 relief. Team Woods and Manning ultimately pulled out a victory at the event, whichraised $20 millionand was themost-watched golf telecastin the history of cable television with an average of 5.8 million viewers.
Less than a week before the big game, tight end Rob Gronkowskisent a video message to healthcare workerswho were surprised with tickets to Super Bowl LV. In total,7,500 physicians and medical staffershave been invited to the event after receiving their coronavirus vaccinations.
The Buccaneers, too, have a page on their website dedicated to COVID-19 resources that can be viewedhere.
Tom Brady.TANNEN MAURY/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Amid the ongoing pandemic, the NFL is allowing 22,000 people to attend the Super Bowl. In addition to social distancing when possible, those in the crowd will have to wear masks, theNew York Timesreported. They will also be given free hand sanitizer.
The city of Tampa will be requiring face masks outdoors in Super Bowl event areas and indoors when social distancing is not possible.
The Buccaneers and the Chiefs are facing off at Super Bowl LV on Sunday in Tampa. The game will air on CBS at 6:30 p.m. EST.
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes,PEOPLEis committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources fromCDC,WHO, andlocal public health departments. To help provide doctors and nurses on the front lines with life-saving medical resources,donate to Direct Relief here.
source: people.com
