American kids are being asked to do something simple, but increasingly rare: move for 60 minutes a day.
That’s the benchmark the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set for kids ages 6 to 17 - at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Health officials say only 20% to 28% of American kids actually hit that mark, with screen time and the shrinking number of daily P.E. classes doing plenty of damage along the way.
Now the NFL and the American Heart Association are trying to push that message with some help from familiar faces on the sidelines. For the 20th year of NFL PLAY 60, the league’s youth health and wellness platform, 13 mascot ambassadors are being used to encourage kids to get active and build healthier habits.
Chiefs mascot KC Wolf is among them.
The group also includes Big Red of the Arizona Cardinals, Billy Buffalo, Freddie Falcon, Gumbo of the New Orleans Saints, Major Tuddy of the Washington Commanders, Pat Patriot, Poe of the Baltimore Ravens, Raider Rusher, Rampage of the Los Angeles Rams, Roary of the Detroit Lions, Sourdough Sam of the San Francisco 49ers and T-Rac of the Tennessee Titans.
Their job is straightforward: give kids exercise ideas, promote healthier choices and lean on team spirit to help make daily movement feel a little more fun.
“Collaborating with these NFL mascots to bring our science to life in a fun and engaging way helps students develop healthy habits so they can grow to their full potential,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association.
“Our 20-year partnership with the NFL has always focused on building a world of longer, healthier lives through physical activity, heart health and safety.”
Anna Isaacson, the NFL’s senior vice president of social responsibility, said working with teams and mascots “allows us to bring this mission to life in a fun and engaging way.”
Parents, teachers and caregivers can find the mascot videos in the NFL PLAY 60 Exercise Library, which features two-to-three-minute workouts from each of the league’s 32 teams.
Last year, former Chiefs wide receiver Danan Hughes made a video demonstrating squats, his favorite exercise.
In Other News...
Travis Kelce Just Voiced What Many Chiefs Fans Hate About NFL Change
During the Chiefs preseason finale against the Seahawks, Travis Kelce made clear hes not sold on the NFLs new virtual first down system. The league has rolled out Sony Hawk-Eye to replace the old chain gang approach, a change meant to speed up games and improve accuracy, but Kelces reaction reflected the kind of skepticism plenty of longtime players and fans have felt about taking one more piece of footballs familiar rhythm out of the process.
For Kansas City, it was a small moment in a preseason game, but it tapped into a bigger league-wide debate about how much technology should be allowed to reshape the sport. Kelce has spent long enough in the NFL to know that even changes sold as upgrades can take some getting used to, and his frustration underscored the tension between modernization and the stubborn comfort of the traditional way the game has always been measured. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Suddenly Have A Chris Jones Concern Before Broncos Opener
The Chiefs final stretch into Week 1 got a small dose of uncertainty when Chris Jones was held out of practice because of a back issue. Andy Reid said the move was for maintenance and added that the defensive tackle is expected to be fine, which at least keeps the concern from sounding like anything more than a brief September hiccup.
Even so, any time Jones is absent from the field, it gets noticed quickly in Kansas City. He remains the centerpiece of the Chiefs defense, and with the Broncos opener approaching, the main focus is whether the team can get through the rest of the week without the issue lingering into game prep. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Kelce Enters A Pivotal Chiefs Season With New Off-Field Tension
Travis Kelce is heading into what could be a pivotal season for the Chiefs, and the buildup around him has not been limited to football. About two months after his marriage to Taylor Swift, reports indicate that the couple has run into a familiar challenge for NFL stars and their partners: finding enough quality time once training and season preparation take over.
For Kansas City, the timing only adds to the intrigue around Kelces return. He is coming back for what may be his final season, which already put a spotlight on how much he has left to give the offense. Now there is an added layer off the field, with Swift said to be feeling the strain of his schedule as the season approaches, making Kelces next chapter feel even more closely watched. [Read more 🡒]