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Headline NBA Players Philanthropy

Four NFL Players Help Children In El Salvador

If you combine the weight of Aaron Kampman (Jacksonville Jaguars), Russell Allen (Jacksonville Jaguars), Craig Terrill (Seattle Seahawks), and Jordy Nelson (Green Bay Packers), you have something that weighs approximately 1,000 pounds.  Yet the enormous size of those four NFL players does not compare to the size of their hearts.  Each one of them have been instrumental in helping poverty-stricken children in El Salvador have the ability to go to school and receive health care, nutritional supplements, and regular meals.

Recently, in conjunction with Compassion International, Kampman, Allen, and Terrill traveled to El Salvador to visit the children that they have sponsored.  Nelson was unable to make the trip due to his injury, but the other players visited his sponsored child (named Rudy) in his stead.

“Rudy didn’t care about the T-shirts and sports paraphernalia we brought him – which was surprising for someone who has probably never received his own, brand-new shirt,” said Allen. “The entire time we spent with him, he gripped the photo of Jordy and asked repeatedly, ‘you really know my sponsor.'”

While some NFL players are mouthing off to journalists about how much they love the down-time from the NFL Lockout, there are many players who are taking the time off to actually do some good for others.  Kampman, Allen, Terrill, and Nelson should be rewarded with our admiration for their noble efforts to help others far away who are in need.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.