On Wednesday, July 26, Brady made the dreams of nine Make-A-Wish children come true when he welcomed them to the Patriots’ home turf of Gillette Stadium.

“So fun being with my friends from Make A Wish! What a privilege to spend the afternoon with all of you!”, the five-time Super Bowl champion wrote on Instagram.

So fun being with my friends from Make A Wish! What a privilege to spend the afternoon with all of you!

A post shared by Tom Brady (@tombrady) on Jul 26, 2017 at 1:19pm PDT

Brady posed for photos, watched game film, introduced the kids to teammate Rob Gronkowski, and took part in a Q&A session where he fielded a variety of interesting questions.

“Do football players actually do ballet for their footwork?” a child asks in a video posted to team’s Twitter acocunt.

“Maybe some do,” Brady said to chuckles in the room.

Today at @GilletteStadium, TB12 made nine special wishes come true: pic.twitter.com/QAroEHBxbq

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) July 26, 2017

RELATED: A Comprehensive Guide to Charitable Impact of Patriots WR Julian Edelman

In addition to meeting their football hero, the kids also received personalized jerseys, autographed items and a tour of the The Hall at Patriot Place where New England’s five Super Bowl trophies are displayed.

“I loved everything,” said Make-A-Wish child Sebastian. “It felt like a dream come true.”

Brady is no stranger to giving back and lending a helping hand to children’s organizations. Be sure to check out our charitable profile on the MVP quarterback and don’t miss our exclusive interviews with other good sports celebrities (like Case Keenum of the Los Angeles Rams), on our YouTube page.

(Photo Credit: Instagram/Patriots)

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The two-time NFL MVP generates headlines thanks to his spectacular play, occasional controversy (who can forget Deflategate?), and his celebrity marriage to supermodel Gisele Bündchen. Plus – we love that he also donates much of his time – and money – to charity.

Let’s take a look at the ways in which Brady has impacted the world off of the football field.

Tom Brady: Giving Back to Those with Developmental Disabilities

If there’s a flagship charity for Brady it’s Best Buddies International, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to friendships, employment and leadership training for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Year after year, the QB takes part in the Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port, an event that challenges participants to run, walk, or ride with all benefits going toward the charity.

“Best Buddies is a fantastic organization with a great message to spread, and I am so proud to support their work,” Brady said about the 2016 event.

“I hope my role as Honorary Co-Chair will continue to bring attention to the organization’s mission of friendship and inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the world.”

Through various membership levels, participants can donate money to be part of Team Tom Brady. The benefits include individual and team photos with the Michigan alum, a signed jersey, and football, and a chance to watch or even play in the Best Buddies Tom Brady Football Challenge – a gridiron battle featuring Brady, other celebs, and his Patriots teammates.

In 2015, Brady took flack for accepting a $170,000 speaking fee from the Salem State University Foundation. However, it was later revealed that Brady didn’t accept a dime. He instead donated $50,000 to Best Buddies and the other $120,000 to various charities.

TB12 Foundation

Injuries in sports, especially football, are a natural part of the game – and something of which Brady is well aware.

In the season opener of 2008, he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee forcing him to miss the remainder of the season. Thanks to successful surgery, he was able to return in the 2009 season good as new.

Hoping to help you athletes receive the best possible post-injury care, Brady teamed with Boston Private and Robert Paul Properties to launch the TB12 Foundation.

“Injuries among young athletes are happening at an alarming rate, and the current quick-fix system of treating symptoms instead of causes is not working,” Brady said in a press release announcing the formation of TB12.

“The TB12 method is designed to help sustain my peak performance and is a huge part of why I have played at a high level throughout my athletic career. With the foundation, we’re committing to extend access to the TB12 services and facilities to promising young athletes, especially those who would otherwise be unable to obtain access without outside assistance,” he adds.

To submit an application or support through donations and volunteering, visit the foundation’s website.

Giving Back through “Omazing” Experiences

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are arguably the two of the biggest New England Patriots fans in Hollywood. So it came as no surprise that Brady teamed up with the two philanthropic actors for a charity hangout via Omaze.

In the fall of 2016, donors entered for a chance to share pizza and beer with Tom, Ben and Matt and talk sports. Donations benefited three charitable organizations of their choosing:

• Eastern Congo Initiative (Affleck)
• Water.org (Damon)
• TB12 Foundation (Brady)

This wasn’t the first time Brady teamed with Omaze.

In August 2016, he offered donors the chance to learn his football magic with the “Master Your Spiral” contest. Proceeds benefitted (RED), which works to fight AIDS worldwide.

Children’s Charities

Brady understands the importance of community in molding the lives of children and few charities are better in that field than the Boys & Girls Club of America.

“It’s pretty cool to see the excitement on the kid’s faces. And the Boys & Girls Club…it’s just awesome what they do for the community,” Brady said at the opening of a playground in Waltham, Massachusetts in 2010.

The three-time Super Bowl MVP is no stranger to attending events sponsored by the organization and was even named Honorary Chair of the 2012 Rodman Ride for Kids – a bicycle ride through towns in Southeastern, Massachusetts, which raises money for kids in need.

“‘The Ride for Kids’ unique collaborative fundraising model is unprecedented, and as a parent I immediately connected with a cause that supports so many children in our community,” Brady said in 2012.

“We are honored to have Tom Brady representing the Ride for Kids,” said Don Rodman, President and Founder of the Ride for Kids.  “His reputation in our community is stellar, and his support will increase awareness as we work to raise even more funds for kids who need help and deserve opportunities for success.”

According to a press release from the organization, “The Ride for Kids is the #1 single-day athletic fundraiser in the United States that solely supports at-risk kids.”

Tom Brady exemplifies the ultimate in excellence on the football field but it’s his charitable actions in day-to-day life that make truly make him a superstar.

We have more Super Bowl celebrity news profiles in the works so make sure to stay linked to Good Celebrity for all the latest stories about People Doing Good!  

The post Tom Brady is an MVP On & Off the Football Field: A Complete Look at the Patriots QB’s Charity Work appeared first on Positive Celebrity News, Good Celebrity Gossip, Positive Entertainment News | Good Celebrity.

San Diego Chargers running back Danny Woodhead made a name for himself scoring touchdowns on Sunday, but it’s the NFL veteran’s writing skills that are garnering his latest headlines.

Woodhead is the latest professional athlete to pen a piece for the The Players’ Tribune’s recurring series, “Letter to My Younger Self.” In it, the undersized football player (5’8”, 200 lbs.) informed his 18-year-old self (then 5’7”, 175 lbs.) to “persevere, prove others wrong, and always keep his faith.”

Like many other youngsters growing up in Nebraska, Woodhead dreamt of playing football for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. However, when the Huskers only offered him a walk-on position as a kick returner, Woodhead headed in another direction.

“When one door to college football closed, God pushed another one open. Remember that. It will become a theme — a mantra, almost — for your football career,” Woodhead wrote.

That other door led him to Division II Chadron State College. The decision to follow in his father’s footsteps and join his older brother Ben proved to be the right choice as Woodhead rushed for over 8,000 yards in his collegiate career and won two Harlon Hill trophies – the D-II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy.

Despite proving to himself and others that he had what it took to compete with athletes twice his size, Woodhead warned himself, more disappointments lie ahead.

“It’s a feeling you need to get used to, Danny. You’ll feel it again when — even though you’ll graduate from Chadron State as the all-time NCAA rushing leader — you aren’t invited to work out for NFL scouts at the combine.

Say what you will about God’s plan, but He’s remarkably consistent. But so are you — both in your play on the field and in how you overcome adversity,” he wrote.

Woodhead’s NFL dreams wouldn’t be realized on Draft Day (he went undrafted), nor would they come during his first year with the New York Jets in 2008 (he tore his ACL in training camp and was eventually cut).

“It’s over, you’ll think. I’m never going to play football again. It’s not like you to be pessimistic, but it’s a pretty rational thought to have. I mean, what NFL team wants an undersized, undrafted rookie who just missed a full season after ACL surgery?” he wrote.

But one team did want him and it just so happened to be the best franchise in professional football: the New England Patriots.

Woodhead blossomed under head coach Bill Belichick’s system and clicked with quarterback Tom Brady. He even scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIV but that also came with a caveat.

“It will be the greatest moment of your football life. But there won’t be a fairy-tale ending to this one, Danny. Because despite your big moment, your team will lose the game, 21–17,” he wrote.

Woodhead’s roller-coaster football career led him to his current job with the Chargers and while he can’t go back in time and inspire himself with his story, his words can help other undersized 18-year-olds with big dreams to never give up.

“I still thank God every day for the blessings I have in my life. It’s been an incredible ride, and I’m hoping I still have four or five years left to play the game that I’ve loved my entire life,” Woodhead wrote before ending the piece, “Trust in God’s plan. When one door closes, don’t get down on yourself. Because He will open another. And when He does, do what you do best and run through it.”

Read Woodhead’s entire post at The Players’ Tribune.

Photo Credit: WikiCommons

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