FOOTBALL IN HIGH HEELS: BRANDON WILLIAMS HONORED
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Baltimore Ravens defender Brandon Williams has been named this week’s NFLPA Community MVP for his devotion to serving and connecting with families in need.
For more than six months of his teenage life, the only steady shelter that Williams had was his mother’s car. With their belongings packed in the trunk and backseat, Williams, along with his mom and brother, bounced among the homes of relatives while struggling to make ends meet.
That humbling experience is what drove the defensive tackle to adopt the Westport Boys & Girls Club last year. Since then, Williams has committed himself to making a difference in each child’s life on a monthly basis. His latest efforts involved funding a special Halloween party featuring pizza, snacks, candy, juice, pumpkins and decorations so that the kids could celebrate the much-anticipated holiday.
Community involvement has been really important to me since I was drafted,” Williams said, “and to be honored for it makes it that much more special.”
When Williams was selected by the Ravens in the 2013 NFL Draft, the former Missouri Southern star was just eight months removed from a summer job of cleaning and hauling portable toilets. He brought a similar work ethic to his efforts off the field, frequently taking part in the charitable events of his Ravens teammates during his first two seasons in the league.
In 2015, Williams began to spearhead his own outreach efforts, including providing 118 Thanksgiving meals for families through the Maryland Food Bank. The fourth-year player will renew those efforts this November by serving as the official ambassador and spokesman for Maryland Food Bank’s #FeedTheFlock food collection efforts with the Ravens.
In working with his adopted family at the Westport Boys & Girls Club, Williams has helped organize everything from summer celebrations to a VIP training camp visit to a back-to-school event that saw 50 kids receive new supplies for the academic year.
“The path I took to get where I am today wasn’t easy,” Williams said, “and it has really inspired me to give back as much as I can, kind of like ‘to whom much is given, much is expected.’”
On behalf of our sponsor Delta Private Jets, the NFLPA will make an in-kind donation to Williams and his foundation for being named this week’s Community MVP. Visit our website to read more and see photos from Williams’s outreach work.
The NFLPA Community MVP program recognizes NFL players who are making a positive impact in their local communities. Each week during the regular season, the NFLPA will celebrate one active NFL player who has demonstrated a commitment to giving back to his community.
About the NFL Players Association:
The National Football League Players Association is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players, and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through 2020. Learn more at www.nflpa.com.
