NFL defensive end player Chris Long of the Philadelphia Eagles is donating the rest of his 2017 Nfl Season salary to provide for scholarships and promote Educational Equality. Students from his hometown in Charlottesville, Virginia have already benefited from the NFL star’s donations with two scholarships. Long believes that education is a gateway for upward mobility and that educational equality can help affect the change needed in this country.

The Pledge 10 for Tomorrow Campaign

Long has also committed to using his next ten game checks to launch the Pledge 10 for Tomorrow campaign.

He will be donating the checks to organizations supporting educational equality and opportunity in St. Louis, Boston and Philadelphia along with three cities he has played for throughout his career in the NFL. The campaign works by supporting a city along with its corresponding organization and donating ten dollars for ten weeks. The city with the most pledges by the end of week 16 of the 2017 NFL season will get an additional $50,000 from Long.

Nicole Woodie who runs the Pledge 10 for Tomorrow Foundation, says that Long initiated the project to hopefully inspire other people to get involved and that their aim is for the contributions to be matched by the fans, individuals, players, and other people with the platform or businesses.

Long's $4.5 million contract with the Eagles includes a $500,000 signing bonus and $1.5 million guaranteed. He has a $1 million base salary for the 2017 NFL season.

Long began his NFL career in 2008 with the St. Louis Rams and played for the New England Patriots last season. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this year.

Not collecting income for the 2017 NFL season

In his pursuit of educational equality in America, Long is collecting nothing from his salary for this season. He is also encouraging everyone, including fans and businesses interested in improving educational opportunities, to join the campaign. Long hopes to double the donations by inspiring others to join the efforts.

He adds that he is feeling good about spreading positivity and using his platform sufficiently, saying that if he played in the NFL and did nothing to help the community, he would feel like he wasted the platform.

In August, Long gained attention when he made statements against hatred and bigotry in the wake of white nationalist rallies and then invested in the community by providing for scholarships in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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