NFL and American Heart Association Partner to Boost CPR Education in Schools

In a significant move to improve cardiac emergency response rates, the National Football League (NFL) Foundation has partnered with the American Heart Association to promote Hands-Only CPR education in schools across the United States. This collaboration offers exciting incentives, including Super Bowl tickets and school equipment makeovers, to encourage student participation in CPR training programs.

The initiative comes as a response to alarming statistics: nine out of ten people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital do not survive, often due to a lack of immediate CPR intervention. The American Heart Association reports that CPR, when performed promptly, can double or triple a person's chances of survival.

Through the American Heart Association's in-school programs, Kids Heart Challenge™ and American Heart Challenge™, students receive free Hands-Only CPR instruction. This training is crucial, as more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually in the United States, with 70% happening at home. Research indicates that children as young as four can positively impact survival rates by calling 911 during an emergency.

As part of the program, five students who completed the CPR training module have been awarded two tickets each to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in February 2025. Additionally, five schools received $10,000 each for physical activity equipment makeovers. The NFL Foundation has committed to continuing this support for the 2024-2025 school year, with plans to award Super Bowl LX tickets and additional school equipment makeovers.

Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, emphasized the program's impact: "The exciting incentives provided by the NFL encouraged more students to engage with and complete the Hands-Only CPR module – expanding the knowledge base to their family members of how to respond in a cardiac emergency."

The collaboration also features Buffalo Bills safety and cardiac arrest survivor Damar Hamlin in an introductory video for the CPR learning module, further highlighting the importance of CPR education.

This partnership represents a significant step towards the American Heart Association's goal of doubling cardiac emergency survival rates by 2030. With nearly three out of four cardiac arrests outside of hospitals occurring in homes, widespread CPR knowledge is critical for improving survival rates.

The initiative not only provides life-saving skills to students but also has the potential to create a ripple effect, as students share their knowledge with family members and friends. This expanded awareness could lead to more bystanders being prepared to perform CPR in emergency situations, potentially saving countless lives.

As the program continues to grow, it serves as a model for how sports organizations and health institutions can collaborate to address critical public health issues. By leveraging the NFL's platform and the American Heart Association's expertise, this initiative has the power to transform communities into networks of potential lifesavers, ready to respond in cardiac emergencies.