The National Football League Foundation has partnered with the American Heart Association to encourage the adoption of Hands-Only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in schools across the United States, offering incentives including Super Bowl tickets and funding for school physical education equipment to motivate students to learn this lifesaving skill. This initiative responds to alarming statistics from the American Heart Association revealing that 9 out of 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital do not survive, largely due to lack of immediate CPR, though prompt CPR can double or triple survival chances.
Students participating in the Association's in-school programs, Kids Heart Challenge™ and American Heart Challenge™, receive free Hands-Only CPR instruction, which is critical given that more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually in the United States, with 70% happening at home. The collaboration's impact is already evident with five students from across the country each receiving two tickets to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in February 2025, and five schools awarded $10,000 each for physical activity equipment makeovers, totaling $50,000 in school equipment funding.
Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, emphasized that the incentives provided by the NFL encouraged more students to engage with and complete the Hands-Only CPR module, expanding knowledge to family members about how to respond in a cardiac emergency. The NFL's support extends beyond financial incentives, with Buffalo Bills safety and cardiac arrest survivor Damar Hamlin producing an introductory video for the Kids Heart Challenge Hands-Only CPR online learning module, sharing his personal experience and encouraging kids to learn this skill.
Anna Isaacson, NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility, stated that the partnership with the American Heart Association focuses on promoting health and wellness for all, with the NFL leveraging its platform to ensure communities across the country are equipped to act as lifesavers. The initiative aligns with the American Heart Association's commitment to double survival rates of cardiac emergencies by 2030, with nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests outside of the hospital occurring in homes, making widespread CPR knowledge crucial.
The NFL Foundation has recommitted to supporting CPR education for the 2024-2025 school year, offering another round of Super Bowl tickets and school equipment makeovers. Parents and school administrators interested in having their students participate can find more information at https://heart.org/schools. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in public health education by leveraging the popularity of professional football and offering tangible rewards to create a new generation of potential lifesavers, ultimately contributing to increased survival rates from cardiac arrests across the nation.
