Hoping to help as many people in his community as possible, Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu passed out turkeys to families in need on Monday, continuing a holiday tradition that has taken place since before he joined the team. His first Thanksgiving event in K.C. took place in 2019. Food insecurity is a growing issue in the area, and though there remains lots of work to be done in solving underlying systemic problems that cause it, his contribution of around 500 birds provided lots of assistance to those who might have had to go without this Thanksgiving.
Check out the video from Kansas City Star reporter Sam McDowell, who documented the event Mathieu organized to start the Chiefs’ bye week:
Tyrann Mathieu is hosting his annual Thanksgiving turkey drive-thru event tonight. Planning to pass out 500 turkeys. pic.twitter.com/8BQ7ImS9ZZ
— Sam McDowell (@SamMcDowell11) November 22, 2021
Mathieu has made a big impact on Kansas City’s defense this season, but his efforts in the community will prove to be the most important part of the work he does in 2021. The event on Monday was held at the Giving Hope KC Food Pantry on the Kansas side of town and was conducted in accordance with the veteran safety personally overseeing the donations during his limited time off.
Chiefs Safety Tyrann Mathieu’s drive-thru Thanksgiving event is underway. Public is welcome to come by the Giving Hope KC Food Pantry.
6640 State Ave., Kansas City, KS 66102. #ChiefsKingdom @Mathieu_Era @TM32_Foundation pic.twitter.com/OqT3wB0PSg— Rob Collins (@RCFOX4KC) November 22, 2021
While the bye week is ideally a time for some much-needed rest and relaxation in the middle of a team’s season, it seems Mathieu derives more satisfaction from knowing he has made a difference in his community when they have needed it most. His presence has been felt in every place he’s played since college, both on and off the field, making him something of a legend wherever his good deeds take place.
When Kansas City takes the field against the Denver Broncos on December fifth, Mathieu’s focus will shift back to football and making good on solid showings that have the Chiefs with a division lead through 11 weeks. Until then, emphasis is being placed on helping those in need whenever possible, and the results of Mathieu’s principled action will be felt by many who were beneficiaries of his generosity this holiday season.
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