Cleveland Browns Defensive End Myles Garrett Named Captain of the NFL Waterboys Program (9.3.19)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Garrett will lead a roster of NFL stars, including Beau Allen, Brett Hundley, Johnny Hekker, Kyle Long, and Zack Martin to engage fans in the clean water crisis.
Cleveland, OH — The Chris Long Foundation announced today that NFL Pro-Bowler and Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett is the new captain of the NFL Waterboys program. Waterboys is the cornerstone initiative of The Chris Long Foundation. Committed to bringing clean water to East African communities in need, Garrett will lead a roster of active NFL stars in his new leadership role. The group will use their platform as professional athletes to engage fans in the effort to provide water to 1 million people.
“I am thrilled to be the Waterboys NFL captain and continue my work in ensuring that people have access to safe water,” said Myles Garrett, defensive end, Cleveland Browns. “This is my third year involved with the program and I can’t wait to work with my peers around the league, along with fans, to grow Waterboys and build on the momentum that Chris [Long] has generated around this important cause.”
As the new captain, Garrett will not be alone in his efforts. A team of NFL players will support him on and off the field, including Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Beau Allen, Chicago Bears’ Kyle Long, Los Angeles Rams’ Johnny Hekker, Dallas Cowboys’ Zack Martin, and Arizona Cardinals’ Brett Hundley. Throughout the season, the players will take part in social media campaigns and fan engagement events designed to raise awareness and funds.
Garrett will kick off the fifth season of Waterboys by rallying support from the Cleveland Browns fanbase with the #DawgsDigDeep social media campaign. To build his team of Water Warriors, Garrett is asking all fans to follow @waterboysorg, tag three friends and use the hashtag #DawgsDigDeep. Garrett will award one lucky fan who participates with four tickets to the Browns game on September 22 against the Los Angeles Rams.
In his new role, Garrett will also work across leagues working with NBA players and the Hoops2o program that was founded by Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon. The NBA arm of Waterboys has raised over a quarter of a million dollars since its inception in 2018. Both programs are an extension of Waterboys founder Chris Long’s vision that by leveraging the power of sports and working together as a team of individuals, players and corporate supporters, the world’s water crisis can be addressed faster and more efficiently.
This past spring, Long retired from the NFL after 11 seasons. Long was adamant in his desire to identify an active player that shared his passion for clean water and showed creativity in how to champion Waterboys and continue its growth, especially among younger players.
“I knew right away that Myles was the guy that could carry the torch and lead the NFL Waterboys program” said Chris Long, The Chris Long Foundation. “He’s young, passionate and sincere in his commitment to helping other people. And he’s going to play at a high level for a long time. I know the sky is the limit for what we will accomplish under Myles’ leadership. I believe we will reach our 1 million people served goal during his tenure.”
While he may be retired from the NFL, Long’s commitment to Waterboys has not changed. He will continue to lead the initiative as it grows in the NBA and NFL and expands into new sports leagues by using his time and resources daily to spread awareness and engage supporters.
To find out more about Waterboys and to join the team, visit www.waterboys.org or follow @waterboysorg on social media.
###
About Myles Garrett
One of the biggest stars in the NFL, Myles Garrett, is entering his third season as a defensive end for the Cleveland Browns. Drafted as the number 1 overall pick in 2017 by the Browns, Garrett is the first-ever number 1 overall selection from Texas A&M University. In his first two NFL seasons, Garrett recorded 20.5 sacks (13.5 sacks in 2018) the most by any player in Browns’ history, earning him a trip to his first Pro Bowl in 2018. Garrett first joined Waterboys, the cornerstone initiative of The Chris Long Foundation, in 2017 with a desire to make an impact on the clean water crisis in East Africa. In 2018, Garrett’s high character and leadership skills led him to be selected by his teammates as one of five permanent captains for the Browns. In 2019, those same set of skills, along with his aspirations to help those in need, inspired Chris Long’s selection for Garrett to be his successor as the captain of the NFL Waterboys. In that role, Garrett will lead a new era of NFL stars to use their platform to transform communities through the gift of clean water.
About Waterboys
Founded in 2015 by two-time Super Bowl Champion Chris Long, Waterboys unites NFL players and fans from across the league in support of a single shared cause: providing clean, accessible drinking water to 1 million people. Led in the NFL by Pro-Bowler Myles Garrett and a team of active NFL stars and in the NBA by Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon and his “Starting 5” roster of NBA stars, Waterboys has provided clean drinking water to more than 245,000 people. All funds raised through Waterboys go towards the construction of sustainable, deep borehole wells to provide life-giving water and all that comes from it — the opportunity for education, good health, and economic stability. Visit www.waterboys.org to find out more.
About The Chris Long Foundation
The Chris Long Foundation is a nonprofit, founded by two-time Super Bowl Champion and 2018 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Chris Long, dedicated to serving those most at risk, at home and abroad. Started in 2015, The Chris Long Foundation has engaged in both international and domestic programs focused around clean water, educational equity, and military support. The Foundation’s programs strive to generate impactful results by creating opportunities and providing resources, financial support, and meaningful experiences to those it serves. Visit www.chrislongfoundation.org to find out more.