JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – This week, Jacksonville Jaguars players and coaches unveiled new footwear, customized with artwork representing the individual causes they support, for the NFL's 9th annual ‘My Cause My Cleats’ initiative. Jaguars players and coaches will wear their new cleats in the Week 13 matchup against its AFC South Division rival, the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 1.
More than 50 Jaguars players and 26 coaches are participating in this season's initiative which celebrates the passion they have for off-the-field causes and organizations. Cleat artists Soles by Sir, Joe Castro and Dillion DeJesus were commissioned to bring the designs to life.
This year's chosen causes range from disaster relief, homelessness, mental health, military appreciation, among others. To design the cleats, players and coaches collaborated with national artists for their cause and following this week's game, many will be donated to raise funds for their charity through NFL Auction or directly to the organization they support.
Many Jaguars players have started their own nonprofit organizations and chose to represent them on their cleats this season including DE Josh Hines-Allen. "As a father of three, empowering youth to succeed is a cause that is personal to me," said Hines-Allen. "My wife, Kaitlyn, and I founded the Four One For All Foundation to support the well-being of children from all walks of life here in Jacksonville, including the disabled and underserved. Jacksonville has done so much for me, and I'm proud to be able to give back to the city and represent our foundation for the NFL's My Cause My Cleats initiative this season."
In some cases, players and coaches chose to honor people close to them through their cause. Jaguars S Antonio Johnson chose Everytown for Gun Safety after experiencing loss of a friend to gun violence. "Many places in America are affected by gun violence, including my hometown of East St. Louis, Illinois. In 2019, I lost one of my best friends, Jaylon McKenzie, to gun violence when he was 14 years old. I am representing Everytown for Gun Safety on my cleats this season to honor him and promote the importance of gun safety in keeping kids and streets safe," said Johnson.
Additionally, coaches Andrew Breiner and Mike McCoy joined Coach Bill Shuey to support the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of Coach Shuey's wife who is in remission from the disease. According to Shuey, "My wife, Maura, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) this year and thankfully is now in remission. TNBC is one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer that tends to grow and spread faster, is harder to treat and affects younger women under the age of 40, so catching it early is critical. For us, supporting the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation is crucial because every contribution brings us closer to breakthroughs that can improve survival rates and give hope to those impacted by this disease."
Jaguar rookie WR Brian Thomas, Jr., has quickly become a part of the Jacksonville community through volunteering and being an ambassador for Nemours Children's Health and youth health and wellness. Of his efforts, Thomas said, "I want to make a difference on and off the field in my rookie year. This season, I have been blessed to work with Nemours Children's Health and am proud to represent them through the NFL's My Cause My Cleats initiative. Their mission to provide hope and healing to children and their families resonates with me, and I want to be a positive influence on the youth to prioritize their health to achieve their dreams."
