NFL players share the holiday spirit
Before he was traded from the Rams to the Dolphins at the October deadline, Aqib Talib made a commitment to take the Watts Rams on a holiday shopping spree. He followed through Tuesday. Former Rams teammate John Johnson joined him. Video by Lindsey Thiry (0:29)
There is one shopping day left until Christmas, but many NFL players have beaten Santa Claus on the deliveries.
Some, including Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, got started by buying toys for children in their communities.
🎄 this might be the best feeling! Merry Christmas Alyssa! pic.twitter.com/Coof54qMSK
“You go in there and you get like 10 baskets or carts and you just start putting random toys in there,” Smith-Schuster told ESPN. “They knew exactly who I was as soon as they saw what was going on.”
He wasn’t the only one putting in overtime doing good deeds.
#Titans RB Derrick Henry visited a Burlington store in Nashville today and surprised several customers by paying off their layaways. The event was made possible through a
partnership with .@PayAwayLayaway and Henry’s personal financial contribution. .@KingHenry_2 pic.twitter.com/ZXabzZJHsY
“It’s a blessing to watch them smile, be able to get them some presents. They’re our future, so anything we can do to pour back into them.” @markingram21 and @Willie_Snead4G hosted a holiday shopping spree with 25 local kids 💜 #OurTeamOurCommunity pic.twitter.com/k6S6MRn1B1
“It’s just a blast being able to give the kids what they need.”
For the seventh year, @ChrisHarrisJr played Santa for 50 kids from @SalvationArmyUS & @DCHKids by taking them shopping for the holidays. 🎄 pic.twitter.com/st7jLGVB96
Rams LT Andrew Whitworth funded a STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) Lab at 112th Street Elementary in Watts, CA. Whitworth visited the school last February for “Read Across America” and told the students he would return with something great for them. Commitment fulfilled.
Elsewhere, the season of giving arrived in several NFL locker rooms.
Just days before setting the single-season record for receptions, New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas surprised his Saints teammates by giving every player on the team a pair of the coveted Air Jordan 11 Retro Breds that were released last week.
So @CantGuardMike gifted every teammate a pair of Air Jordan 11 “Bred” for Christmas! 🎅
Check out some of their reactions 🔥
(Wait till @TedGinnJr_19 at the end 🤣)#Saints pic.twitter.com/OTLJ5cNVBI
“He made a lot of guys’ Christmas,” Saint veteran receiver Ted Ginn Jr. said of Thomas. “It’s special because of who he is — you know, having the hype, just everything around him, for him to still be able to think about his teammates. Not just the receivers, not just the offense, but for him to think about his whole team just tells you how much he’s invested into this program.
“There’s nothing fake about it or ‘I’m trying to make a name for myself.’ It was all real, genuine love. And I think everybody in this room enjoyed coming in to them boxes.”
The Saints weren’t the only team getting to open presents early.
Logan Ryan with the Xmas gift for all of the #Titans DBs. It’s a portable gaming system with a TV attached to it. pic.twitter.com/uHpGblDOLA
Kyle Allen gifted the Oline these Yeti coolers for Christmas. pic.twitter.com/xDlMdkrU4V
Each @BirdRide is personalized. Here’s Preston Smith’s: https://t.co/mSmrp01SAH pic.twitter.com/e2k1KhHi23
In Cincinnati, Bengals running back Joe Mixon got a special gift from one of his idols. After the New England Patriots defeated the Bengals in Week 15, Mixon and Patriots QB Tom Brady exchanged public praise for each other. Mixon, however, said he was too shy to ask to exchange jerseys with Brady. By Friday, Brady had shipped a white No. 12 Patriots uniform to Mixon.
Man I say this in the most humbled way I’m so Blessed to be playing this game. Super Thankful for the https://t.co/eD9G0mRPE1. @TomBrady Best Christmas gift ever. Later Today I’m headed down to the boys and girls club today to give the gift forward today with my own jersey’s. pic.twitter.com/EpBtPSMigq
In an Instagram post, Mixon called said it was the “best Christmas gift ever especially growing up not ever having nothing [sic].” The third-year running back said he planned on giving his own jerseys away to a local chapter of the Boys & Girls Club of America.