Center Stage Campaign: NFL, Players Put Spotlight On My Cause My Cleats

By Barry Janoff

December 1, 2022: For the seventh consecutive season, the NFL My Cause My Cleats initiative will bring awareness to important, player-picked causes to people across the U.S. and worldwide.

My Cause My Cleats games begin tonight during Thursday Night Football and run through Monday Night Football on Dec. 5, with NFL clubs and players continuing to unveil their cause-inspired cleats throughout the weekend.

NFL teams without a home game during Week 13 may also activate during Week 14 or 15.

New this season, people are encouraged to build and share their own customized digital cleat showcasing their favorite team and charity of choice.

Four people who create a customized cleat will be selected to win a real version of the cleats they created. (Details here.)

“It’s very special every year to see the causes that matter most to our players take center stage during My Cause My Cleats week,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said via the league.

“Our players support these causes and individuals year-round and we at the league are grateful for their continued commitment to this important initiative.”

Following Week 13 games, hundreds of players will donate their cleats by auctioning them on NFL Auction.

The NFL said it “does not profit from the sale of these cleats and the funds raised will be donated to the charities they select.”

Visa — the official payments services technology partner of the NFL — is working with NFL Auction to help expand this year’s donation process by providing people with an option to make donations to select player’s causes, whether they chose to bid on the player’s cleats or not.

“This is the first time fans will have the opportunity to donate to player causes through NFL Auction without bidding on cleats,” according to the league. “Through this enhanced partnership, Visa and the NFL are expanding the options for fans to engage with, and impact player-led causes.”

The NFL is supporting this year’s My Cause My Cleats with a multi-platform campaign, including a spot that calls out the many causes that NFL players have chosen to support.

The anchor spot features Devin McCourty (New England Patriots), Chris Godwin (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Jarvis Landry (New Orleans Saints) and Rashan Gary (Green Bay Packers).

Additional spots will run with players including Jonathan Jones (New England Patriots).

Launched in 2016, the My Cause My Cleats off-field causes players have chosen to support this year include preventing gun violence, tackling social justice, prioritizing mental health, raising awareness for individuals with disabilities and disability research, youth and education, military support, animal welfare,  and cancer and other diseases.

This year, more than 30% of players have chosen to support various forms of cancer and other physical health related causes, while nearly 20% have selected topics related to youth and education, according to the NFL.

See the full team-by-team list here.

Players work with artists and cleat manufacturers each year to create these custom-designed cleats that showcase their causes in a way that resonates personally to the player, their fans and the cause.

The NFL recently partnered with iconic shoe customizer Dominic Ciambrone, aka "The Shoe Surgeon," to “empower the local community and youth through fashion and football.”

As a part of this collaboration, Ciambrone creative directs a special My Cause My Cleats activation, where he has hand-selected four SRGN Academy alumni sneaker customizers and paired them with NFL players.

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