Given all that is going on in the world right now, it is refreshing to get some good news.
Several players on the Detroit Lions have taken it upon themselves to help others in these trying times. Whether it is providing food and supplies to first responders on the front lines of the COVID-19 epidemic, or helping communities rebuild after natural disasters, these men have shown that they are much more than just football players.
Members of the Lions organization such as starting center Frank Ragnow, running backs coach Kyle Caskey, and head coach Matt Patricia have already done a lot for their communities in recent weeks, but there have been several other players who also deserve recognition for what they have done.
On Easter Sunday, a two-mile-wide tornado tore through the southeast side of Mississippi. In the center of the storm was the town of Bassfield, where Detroit Lions safety C.J. Moore was born and raised. The small town, with a population of just over 200 people, was ravaged by the storm.
After his hometown of Bassfield, Miss. was hit with the 3rd-largest tornado on U.S. record, @Lions S C.J. Moore & his twin brother, A.J., who plays for the @HoustonTexans, are providing relief to the community.
The twins distributed food & toiletries to over 100 families in need pic.twitter.com/lGNgh2BbhE
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) April 18, 2020
All of this destruction, on top of a global pandemic, wasn’t enough to stop Moore and his twin brother A.J. from returning home to help. The two young NFL safeties loaded up on supplies and went to Bassfield. There, they were able to distribute cases of water and toiletries to nearly half of the town’s population.
Moore is looking to make as much of an impact on the field in 2020 as he has in his community. Brought to the team as an undrafted free agent in 2019, he secured a spot on the 53-man roster as a core special teamer and extra safety.
Offensive lineman Oday Aboushi may not be able to help those suffering from the novel coronavirus in the way his siblings, who are health care workers in New York City, have been able to, but that hasn’t stopped him from providing aide to the people of his hometown. The Brooklyn, New York native has done his part by providing food and protective gear to the health care workers on the front lines of the epidemic.
Aboushi wasn’t the only Lions offensive lineman to help out health care workers though. Backup tackle Tyrell Crosby bought dinner for the staff of the Valley Hospital Corelab in his hometown of Las Vegas.
Big thank you to my best friend/ brother from another mother and his coworkers for all that they’re doing in these times ✊🏾✊🏾 https://t.co/dUFaxvoecI
— Tyrell Crosby (@Tyrellcrosby) April 18, 2020
Wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. helped the community of San Diego, where he lives in the offseason, by buying meals for 400 staff members of the Scripps Health Hospital.
My wife & I are so appreciative of those on the frontlines, serving communities through tragic times while putting their own lives on the line. Us along with Rubicon deli provided 400 @ScrippsHealth hospital heros w/ lunch today. So much more to do lets join & do what we can! 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/G9x1JLQWEb
— Marvin Jones Jr (@MarvinJonesJr) April 17, 2020
These Detroit Lions players have set great examples of what it means to be an NFL athlete. Despite all that is going on in the world, they stepped up and did what they needed to do to help the people of their community.