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American Heart Association and NFL Unveil 2025 Nation of Lifesavers Player Ambassador Class

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

In a continued effort to promote cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) awareness, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Football League (NFL) have unveiled their 2025 Nation of Lifesavers Player Ambassador Class on World Restart a Heart Day, October 16. The class includes 30 current NFL players who will amplify public service announcements, social media content, and local community education events to encourage the public to learn CPR. One of the ambassadors is D'Anthony Bell, a safety for the Seattle Seahawks. The initiative supports the AHA's Nation of Lifesavers movement, launched in 2023 after the sudden cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin. The goal is to double survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by 2030.

Key Takeaways:

  • The American Heart Association and NFL have unveiled the 2025 Nation of Lifesavers Player Ambassador Class, featuring 30 current NFL players who will promote CPR awareness and education.
  • The class includes players from 13 NFL teams, including the Seattle Seahawks, who will participate in various events to promote CPR training and education.
  • The initiative supports the Association's Nation of Lifesavers movement, launched in 2023 after the sudden cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin.
  • Since 2023, the NFL Foundation has provided grants to each NFL team to fund CPR training, AED placement, and CPR education in community neighborhoods.
  • Over half of sudden cardiac arrest victims outside hospitals do not receive immediate CPR, leading to a 90% fatality rate, according to the American Heart Association.
  • Learning Hands-Only CPR takes just 90 seconds and can double or triple survival chances.
  • The AHA has worked alongside over half of the NFL teams to educate players and staff, local youth coaches, and fan families on Hands-Only CPR and train in Heartsaver CPR AED.
  • The American Heart Association is a founding member of the Smart Heart Sports Coalition, established by the NFL in 2023, which advocates for evidence-based public policies to prevent fatal outcomes from cardiac arrest among high school students.

Statistics:

  • 30 current NFL players have been selected as part of the 2025 Nation of Lifesavers Player Ambassador Class.
  • Over half of sudden cardiac arrest victims outside hospitals (58%) do not receive immediate CPR (according to the American Heart Association).
  • CPR can double or triple survival chances.
  • 23,000 children under the age of 18 experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital annually.
  • 40% of cardiac arrests among student-athletes occur on the playing field.
  • The AHA has worked alongside 26 NFL teams to educate players and staff, local youth coaches, and fan families on Hands-Only CPR and train in Heartsaver CPR AED.

Sources:

  • American Heart Association press release (no date)
  • American Heart Association (www.heart.org)
  • NFL (www.nfl.com)
  • Nation of Lifesavers movement (www.heart.org/nation-of-lifesavers)
  • Smart Heart Sports Coalition (www.smartheart.org)
  • Hands-Only CPR Education (www.heart.org/cpr-education)
  • Kids Heart Challenge (www.kidsheartchallenge.org)
  • American Heart Challenge (www.americanheartchallenge.org)

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