Denzel Ward Teams Up with American Heart Association to Promote Hands-Only CPR in Cleveland

Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward is using his platform to promote a life-saving message as part of the American Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers campaign. During National CPR and AED Week, June 1-7, Ward is appearing on new billboards across Cleveland urging residents to act as first responders by performing Hands-Only CPR. Ward, who lost his father to sudden cardiac death, emphasizes that anyone can step in during an emergency.

According to the American Heart Association, nearly 6 in 10 American adults mistakenly believe that only people with special training should perform Hands-Only CPR. This misconception can cost lives, as immediate CPR dramatically improves outcomes for cardiac arrest victims. Most cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals, making bystanders the only ones who can act in time. Currently, bystanders perform CPR only about 41% of the time.

Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, stated, “People will often tell us they’re afraid they’ll ‘do it wrong’ or think CPR requires certification before they can help. Here’s what matters: if a teen or adult collapses, call 911, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest. Your hands can keep blood flowing until professionals arrive.”

More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals each year in the U.S., and about 90% are fatal. Most happen at home. Hands-Only CPR for teens and adults involves two steps: call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest at 100-120 beats per minute—roughly the rhythm of “Stayin’ Alive” or “Uptown Funk”—to a depth of approximately two inches.

Ward expressed, “CPR is a personal duty. Heroism isn’t limited to uniforms—it is everyday people stepping up for others. Whether you’re at home, at the gym, or at a Browns game, cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, and you’re most likely to save someone you know.”

The American Heart Association has been collaborating with the NFL for four seasons through the Nation of Lifesavers campaign to educate Americans about CPR. The Association is the global leader in resuscitation science and publishes the official guidelines for CPR. Their goal is to double survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by 2030, as outlined in a scientific statement.

With nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests outside hospitals occurring in homes, knowing CPR is critically important. Hands-Only CPR is chest compression-only CPR. The American Heart Association encourages everyone to take 90 seconds to learn how to save a life by visiting www.heart.org/nation.