According to the American Heart Association, physical inactivity in childhood is a major risk factor for developing coronary artery disease and stroke, as well as cardiovascular risk factors including obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. To inspire youth to get physically active, the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, and the National Football League (NFL) bring a new NFL PLAY 60™ resource to schools to close out the 2024-2025 academic year. Day of Play is an immersive experience focused on fitness, fun and education all with the goal of helping students move more and, ultimately, live longer and healthier lives as they build healthy habits.
Nationwide, 35 schools have been named official Day of Play schools representing the NFL club in their local markets. Three of these schools, representing the NFL tentpole event markets of Super Bowl LIX (New Orleans), Super Bowl LX (San Francisco Bay Area) and the 2025 NFL Draft (Green Bay), also received grants of $2,500 to support their Day of Play activation. Day of Play delivers an immersive day of fun and movement to encourage increased daily physical activity, which can positively impact overall mental and physical wellness, an essential element to help children reach their full potential.
"Kids need fun, interactive and confidence-building experiences that are memorable and instill a culture of health from the early days of their lives. For nearly 20 years, the work of the American Heart Association and the NFL has helped deliver that to kids through NFL PLAY 60," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "My gratitude goes out to the educators and caregivers who understand the value NFL PLAY 60 programming brings and are committed to the long-term health of their students."
The 35 NFL PLAY 60 Day of Play schools will activate between now and June 2025 at a date of each school's selection. The schools all received a Day of Play activation guide and an official NFL PLAY 60 Day of Play interactive kit—featuring footballs, fitness dice and heart-health challenges—that can be used to transform the school into a movement zone, ensuring every child finds a way to engage in physical activity. Students participating will have the opportunity to move through various activities, games, challenges and exercise content and receive edutainment about heart health. The experience aims to make health and well-being fun and relatable and create a memorable day that inspires students to take charge of their health.
The Day of Play schools and their associated NFL teams are:
- Arizona Cardinals - Justine Spitalny STE3AM School in Phoenix
- Atlanta Falcons - Finch Elementary School in Atlanta
- Baltimore Ravens - Pittsville Elementary & Middle School in Pittsville, Maryland
- Buffalo Bills - PS 099 Stanley M. Makowski Early Childhood Center in Buffalo, New York
- Carolina Panthers - Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy in Forest City, North Carolina
- Chicago Bears - River Trails Middle School in Mt. Prospect, Illinois
- Cincinnati Bengals - Springdale Elementary School in Cincinnati
- Cleveland Browns - Steven Dohanos Elementary School in Lorain, Ohio
- Dallas Cowboys - Scott Johnson Middle School in McKinney, Texas
- Denver Broncos - Shelton Elementary School in Golden, Colorado
- Detroit Lions - Charles Wright Academy of Arts and Sciences in Detroit
- Green Bay Packers - St. Mary Luxemburg Parish & School in Luxemburg, Wisconsin
- Houston Texans - Ashbel Smith Elementary School in Baytown, Texas
- Indianapolis Colts - Meredith Nicholson Elementary School in Crawfordsville, Indiana
- Jacksonville Jaguars - Abess Park Elementary School in Jacksonville, Florida
- Kansas City Chiefs - Three Trails Elementary School in Independence, Missouri
- Las Vegas Raiders - Hafen Elementary School in Pahrump Nevada
- Los Angeles Charges - Hobart Boulevard Elementary School in Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Rams - Ninety-Sixth Street Elementary School in Los Angeles
- Miami Dolphins - Cypress K-8 Center in Miami
- Minnesota Vikings - Discovery Elementary in Buffalo, Minnesota
- New England Patriots - Pierce Middle School in Milton, Massachusetts
- New Orleans Saints - Fifth Ward Elementary School in Reserve, Louisiana
- New York Giants - Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts in East Orange, New Jersey
- New York Jets - P.S. 257 John F. Hylan in Brooklyn, New York
- Philadelphia Eagles - John M. Patterson Elementary School in Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh Steelers - Union Memorial Elementary School in New Castle, Pennsylvania
- San Francisco 49ers - Robert Sanders Elementary School in San Jose, California
- Seattle Seahawks - Pleasant Glade Elementary School in Lacey, Washington
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Mabry Elementary School in Tampa, Florida
- Tennessee Titans - Riverdale Elementary School in Germantown, Tennessee
- Washington Commanders - Creative Learning Center in Richmond, Virginia
The three schools receiving Day of Play grants are
- Green Bay Packers - Dickinson Elementary School in De Pere, Wisconsin
- New Orleans Saints - Rudolph Matas Elementary School in Metairie, Louisiana
- San Francisco 49ers - Longfellow Elementary School in San Francisco
"The NFL is committed to providing children with the resources needed to grow up happy and healthy," said NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson. "The NFL PLAY 60 Day of Play event with the American Heart Association is a powerful way to bring that mission to life, giving youth across the country the opportunity to get moving and learn more about the importance of physical activity."
Beyond these 35, any school can bring the Day of Play experience to their students by downloading the free Day of Play activation guide. The guide includes exercise video content, ideas for games, challenges and contests, along with heart-health video modules and physical activity ideas.
In addition to Day of Play, NFL PLAY 60 supports students' physical and mental health through the NFL PLAY 60 Fitness Breaks, 15-minute broadcasts that gets students up and moving along with the NFL at key times throughout the year — season kickoff, Super Bowl and NFL Draft. The NFL PLAY 60 Exercise Library features two-to-three minute on-demand exercise videos from each of the 32 NFL teams featuring players, NFL legends, cheerleaders and mascots. Lastly, the NFL PLAY 60 app, free and available for iOS and Android devices, allows users to select their favorite team and control personalized avatars onscreen with their own physical movement. Users can create custom workouts and earn special PLAY points to unlock cool NFL gear for on-screen PLAY 60 avatars.
Rooted in American Heart Association science, the NFL PLAY 60 initiative helps children to develop healthy habits for a better chance of a healthy adulthood. The program encourages kids to get a minimum of 60 minutes of vigorous physical activity each day to meet the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Reducing sedentary behavior and increasing physical activity are key to immediate and long-term health for children.
The NFL and the American Heart Association have been teaming up since 2006 to inspire kids through fun and engaging ways to get physically active for at least 60 minutes a day. The impact of physical activity on overall mental and physical wellness is essential to help children grow to reach their full potential. Information on NFL PLAY 60 resources and additional engagement opportunities can be found online at heart.org/NFLPLAY60.
