NFL and American Heart Association Award Super Bowl Tickets and School Grants for CPR Education

The collaboration between the American Heart Association and the National Football League Foundation has resulted in significant awards for students and schools participating in CPR education programs. Five students received tickets to Super Bowl LX while five schools were granted $10,000 each for physical activity equipment upgrades as part of an initiative to encourage Hands-Only CPR training among young people.

Students who participated in the Association's in-school programs, Kids Heart Challenge™ and American Heart Challenge™, during the 2024-25 school year and learned Hands-Only CPR were eligible for the incentive prize drawings from the NFL. The winning students hail from Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, and Washington, each receiving two tickets to Super Bowl LX taking place on February 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The selected schools represent communities in Arkansas, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, California, and Minnesota.

Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating that through the NFL's generous incentives, the organizations are motivating more students to complete the Hands-Only CPR module and share their knowledge with families. This expands awareness of how to respond in cardiac emergencies, particularly crucial since research shows that children as young as age four can impact survival rates by calling 911 during emergencies.

The program addresses a critical public health need, as more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States annually, with 70% happening at home. According to American Heart Association data, 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, often because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time. Immediate CPR can double or triple a person's chance of survival, making widespread education essential.

Alexia Gallagher, NFL Vice President of Philanthropy and Executive Director of the NFL Foundation, highlighted that the collaboration ensures young people across the country are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to act in cardiac emergencies. The NFL's support includes an introduction video by Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills safety and cardiac arrest survivor, who shares that CPR saved his life and encourages kids to learn the lifesaving skill through the Kids Heart Challenge Hands-Only CPR online learning module.

The NFL Foundation has renewed its commitment for the 2025-2026 school year, offering five student participants tickets to Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and five schools $10,000 fitness equipment makeovers. Entries are available through the Hands-Only CPR module called Finn's Mission, with parents and school administrators able to learn more at heart.org/schools.

This initiative represents the American Heart Association's ongoing commitment to grow CPR education as part of its goal to double survival rates of cardiac emergencies by 2030. The Association encourages broader participation through its Nation of Lifesavers initiative, urging everyone to learn CPR through resources available at www.heart.org/nation and www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.