The American Heart Association and National Football League announced the 2025 Nation of Lifesavers Player Ambassador Class, featuring 30 current NFL players committed to advancing CPR education on World Restart a Heart Day. These ambassadors will enhance public service announcements, social media outreach, and community education events to support the Association's push for widespread CPR training. Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills safety who survived a cardiac emergency during a 2023 game, serves as National Ambassador while representing his team. Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, stated that immediate CPR can determine survival during sudden cardiac arrest, highlighting the NFL's role in raising public awareness.
Statistics reveal the initiative's urgency, with over half of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest victims not receiving immediate CPR, resulting in a 90% fatality rate. Learning Hands-Only CPR, which takes just 90 seconds, can double or triple survival chances. The Association offers resources at https://www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR to facilitate learning this critical skill. This marks the second annual ambassador class, supporting the Nation of Lifesavers movement launched after Hamlin's cardiac arrest and aiming to double survival rates by 2030.
The NFL Foundation provides CPR grants to each team to increase CPR and AED access in communities. Since 2023, these annual grants have funded Hands-Only CPR training, Heartsaver CPR AED credentialing, and placement of CPR kits in schools and youth sports. More than half of NFL teams have hosted American Heart Association trainings, educating players, staff, youth coaches, and fan families on Hands-Only CPR. As part of NFL PLAY 60 youth health efforts, Hands-Only CPR education is integrated into the Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge programs in schools, teaching students and families to recognize cardiac emergencies, call 911, and perform chest compressions.
The American Heart Association also serves as a founding member of the Smart Heart Sports Coalition established by the NFL, advocating for evidence-based policies to prevent fatal cardiac outcomes among high school students. With nearly three out of four cardiac arrests occurring in homes, widespread CPR knowledge is essential. The Association advises that if a teen or adult collapses, witnesses should call 911 immediately and begin chest compressions at 100-120 beats per minute. The ongoing partnership between the NFL and American Heart Association continues to build momentum toward creating a nation prepared to respond to cardiac emergencies.
