NFL Player CPR Ambassadors Galvanizing Fans to Learn Lifesaving Skill
More than half of all people who experience sudden cardiac arrest outside of the hospital don’t receive immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Yet it takes just 90 seconds to learn the fundamentals of Hands-Only CPR to save a life. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. To save more lives, the American Heart Association and the National Football League (NFL) are actively putting boots on the ground - cleats on the field - to educate more Americans about this lifesaving skill.
A Nation of Lifesavers
The American Heart Association launched the Nation of Lifesavers™ movement in 2023 following the sudden cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills’ player Damar Hamlin during Monday Night Football™. In observance of World Restart a Heart Day on October 16, the AHA has announced its 2024-2025 Nation of Lifesavers Ambassador Class, featuring current NFL players. These ambassadors will help raise awareness about lifesaving CPR by promoting public service announcements (PSAs), sharing content on social media, and participating in local community education events as part of the Heart Association's call to action to encourage people to learn CPR.
Members of the 2024-2025 Nation of Lifesavers Ambassador Class are:
Arizona Cardinals - DeeJay Dallas, running back
Atlanta Falcons - Bradley Pinion, punter
Buffalo Bills - Damar Hamlin, safety. In addition to representing the Bills, Hamlin also serves as National Ambassador for the Nation of Lifesavers.
Carolina Panthers - Johnny Hekker, punter
Chicago Bears - Gerald Everett, tight end
Cincinnati Bengals - Chris Evans, running back
Cincinnati Bengals - Kris Jenkins, defensive tackle
Cleveland Browns - Denzel Ward, cornerback
Los Angeles Rams - Demarcus Robinson, wide receiver
New Orleans Saints - Johnathan Abram, safety
New York Giants - Devin Singletary, running back
To further bring CPR training to the community level, the NFL Foundation provides CPR grants to each team to help increase CPR access in community neighborhoods. The grants have already funded Hands-Only CPR training, Heartsaver® CPR AED (automated external defibrillator), placement of CPR in Schools Kits and CPR Youth Sports Kits. Each team worked to create a plan customized to the needs of their local market. Additionally, the 32 NFL teams received NFL Foundation funds to place AEDs directly in local youth sports programs, schools and community parks and playgrounds. Since January 2023, the American Heart Association specifically has worked alongside the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans.
Beyond the NFL, some additional Nation of Livesavers partners include the following, but anyone can join!
Laerdal Medical -The AHA has a strategic alliance with Laerdal Medical, the company that created the first CPR training manikin, Resusci Anne.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) -The AHA and AIIMS are working together to create a Hands-Only CPR training program for students, community healthcare workers, and the public.
Oklahoma State University - The AHA partnered with Oklahoma State University to provide hands-only CPR training to the university's men's basketball team and staff.
TikTok LIVE creators - TikTok LIVE creators have rallied millions to join the Nation of Lifesavers.
More Americans than ever say they are now ready to perform CPR in emergencies, according to survey data from the AHA, which is celebrating 100 years of lifesaving service as a global force for healthier lives for all. The percentage of surveyed adults in the U.S. who say they now feel they have the confidence to perform CPR increased from 30% to 35% from 2021 to 2023. But there is lots of room for further expansion and the AHA’s Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Committee has explicitly set a goal to increase the rate of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR) to over 50% by 2030.
The Critical Role of Bystander Intervention
When Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, 24, went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field on January 2, 2023, during a game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, players, spectators, and a national television audience watching the playoff game were horrified to see in real time a young, professional athlete literally struck down and fighting for his life on the field of play. Few people have ever witnessed someone go into cardiac arrest - or a medical team making a picture-perfect life-saving response.
And while Damar Hamlin had a team of medical professionals at the ready to perform CPR and the necessary heart resuscitation skills to save his life, for the average person going about their day, most would rely on bystander intervention to perform CPR.
The most effective way to improve survival rates is for bystanders to initiate early CPR. Performing bystander CPR increases survival chances by two to four times—more than any intervention provided by emergency responders or hospital staff. Hands-Only CPR is as effective as conventional CPR in the first few minutes after a cardiac arrest. Hands-only CPR has just two easy steps, performed in this order;
Call 911 – if you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse.
Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of a familiar song that has 100 to 120 beats per minute. *
* Read our recent blog post about artist hits which fall into this 100 to 120 beats per minute or check out the AHA’s ‘Don't Drop the Beat' playlist on Spotify.
Answer the call to action and become a part of the Nation of Lifesavers and sign up for a CPR class today.
ACLS Academy is an authorized American Heart Association (AHA)- Aligned Training Center. We have three convenient locations in Massachusetts—Quincy, Bridgewater, and Newton Center—and most of our classes include an online training component. We provide high-quality courses taught by instructors practicing in the medical profession for ACLS, TNCC, BLS, ENPC, NRP, PALS, PALS Plus, PEARS and Bloodborne Pathogen, HeartSaver CPR/AED, First Aid, and Instructor Courses. Please browse our catalog of courses.