The NFLPA’s Professional Athletes Association hosted it’s 4th annual Painting with the Pros today in Super Bowl LIV host city Miami. The goal is to connect professional players back to the community to help inspire the next generation of athletes and entrepreneurs.
It’s a life lesson for the school’s high achieving kids that hard work pays off. Students who scored well on a state exam were rewarded with this event. Junior Angela Dawkins was ecstatic to sit next to her favorite player Dallas Cowboys, Bradie James. “I randomly sat over here and I just said, I hope, I hope I get to sit next to him and here we are!” The former linebacker enjoys meeting the kids and getting away from all the Super Bowl fanfare. James says, “It’s a great opportunity to really get a feel of the city, talk to these students and hopefully make a positive impact on their lives.”
The PAF partnered with David Sexton of Normandy Art to host the painting class filled with 50 juniors from Miami Central High School alongside 23 former and active pro players including Brandon Coleman, Christopher Calloway, Deon Grant, Jake McGee and Atlanta Falcon’s Carroll Phillips. Phillips knows these halls well, as he actually graduated from this high school. They are all testing their skills painting the Miami skyline with the Super Bowl LIV logo.
“It’s good for our players too, but for the kids, it’s about just showing them that these players are people too,” said Executive Director of the Professional Athletes Foundation, Andre Collins.
This is the closest most kids will ever get to the Super Bowl. They walk away with their painting, inspiration to continue to do well in school, an NFLPA backpack, other NFL related prizes, and memories that will last a lifetime.