NFL Mascots Join Forces with American Heart Association to Promote Youth Fitness Through PLAY 60 Initiative
Six NFL mascots are launching as official ambassadors for the NFL PLAY 60 program, partnering with the American Heart Association to combat sedentary behaviors in children through engaging physical activity initiatives that support both mental and physical health development.
The National Football League has enlisted six team mascots as inaugural ambassadors for its PLAY 60 program, marking a significant expansion of the league's partnership with the American Heart Association to address childhood health concerns. This initiative comes at a critical time when sedentary behaviors among youth have become increasingly prevalent, with the program aiming to inspire children to achieve the recommended minimum of 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
According to evidence-based guidance supported by the American Heart Association's physical activity guidelines, students who maintain active lifestyles demonstrate improved learning capabilities, enhanced focus, clearer thinking, better stress management, and improved classroom performance and behavior. Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, emphasized that collaborating with NFL mascots brings scientific recommendations to life in an engaging manner that helps children develop lifelong healthy habits.
The NFL PLAY 60 program, active since 2006, has evolved over 19 seasons to address contemporary health challenges facing children. The new mascot ambassador component introduces recognizable characters from communities nationwide, bringing game-day excitement to health education. The 2025 season ambassadors include Freddie Falcon (Atlanta Falcons), Gumbo (New Orleans Saints), Rampage (Los Angeles Rams), Rowdy (Dallas Cowboys), Sir Purr (Carolina Panthers), and T-Rac (Tennessee Titans).
These mascot ambassadors will encourage physical activity throughout the school year by providing exercise ideas, promoting healthy habit choices, and building team spirit. The program integrates with the American Heart Association's school initiatives, including the Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge, which offer resources for physical activity both at school and at home. Additional learning modules cover individual health improvement, friendship skills, and community support through lessons such as Hands-Only CPR instruction.
A notable component involves Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, a cardiac arrest survivor and Nation of Lifesavers National Ambassador, who appears in an introductory video preceding CPR instruction. Students completing Hands-Only CPR training become eligible for Super Bowl LXI ticket drawings, with five individual winners and five participating schools receiving $10,000 fitness equipment upgrades. Entry opportunities are available through Finn's Mission, with participation details accessible at https://heart.org/schools.
The program also includes the NFL PLAY 60 Family Challenge, encouraging families to prioritize wellness through joint physical activities. For educational resources, the https://heart.org/NFLPLAY60 website provides comprehensive information, while the NFL PLAY 60 Exercise Library features two-to-three minute on-demand exercise videos from all 32 NFL clubs. These resources assist parents, teachers, and caregivers in maintaining physical activity during inclement weather or incorporating movement breaks into daily routines to help children reach their 60-minute daily activity goals.