NFL Legend Deion Sanders Issue a $1M Challenge to Support NFL PLAY 60

Subway® restaurants, the Official Sandwich Sponsor of the NFL is bringing players and fans together through a friendly competition to get them dancing on-the-field and on social to raise money for a worthy cause. With choreography led by NFL legend and notorious high-stepper, Deion “Primetime” Sanders, Subway dubbed his iconic two-step the “Footlong Shuffle” to benefit the NFL PLAY 60 youth health and wellness programs.

Today, Sanders will demonstrate the official moves of the Footlong Shuffle on his Twitter and Instagram pages (@DeionSanders), and then, Sanders and Subway are challenging select players to celebrate big game moments with an on-the-field Footlong Shuffle. For every on-the-field Footlong Shuffle performed by an NFL player this football season, Subway will donate $50,000 to NFL PLAY 60 programs, up to $1 million*.

“When I was headed to the endzone, I would break out my signature high step,” said Sanders. “Big time plays deserve a celebration and even more so when they benefit a good cause like NFL PLAY 60 programs. I’m excited to help teach the new cats a little something about smooth moves with the Footlong Shuffle and see them try to recreate it on the field.”

The Footlong Shuffle is the latest example of engaging ways fans can turn football season into Footlong Season™. In October, Subway will encourage football and sandwich fans to share their own version of the Footlong Shuffle on social and will make an additional donation on behalf of each participant*.

“Our guests and athletes of all ages come to Subway when they want to make better choices to fuel their days and their play. Expanding our long-term partnership with the NFL by supporting the NFL PLAY 60 commitment fits perfectly with what Subway represents as a brand that offers better-for-you choices,” said Carrie Walsh, Chief Marketing Officer of Subway. “We are excited to see the players and fans do the Footlong Shuffle to celebrate their big moments, and to join PLAY 60 to help create active and healthier generations for years to come.”

All funds raised through the Footlong Shuffle will support NFL PLAY 60 programs. NFL PLAY 60 is the NFL’s national youth health and wellness program that encourages kids to get physically active for at least 60 minutes a day.

Starting in October, Subway will be supporting Fuel Up to Play 60, a leading national in-school health and wellness program co-created by the NFL and National Dairy Council, to support two local initiatives**.

To support Fuel Up to Play 60, Subway will collect donations in restaurant to help the one in four children who are facing food insecurity. In addition, as part of the 60¢ 6-Inch Sundays Program at participating restaurants, the Fuel Up to Play 60 team will provide parents and students activity logs through participating schools to track eating habits and physical activity. When a student or parent comes into a Subway restaurant and shows their completed Fuel Up to PLAY 60 activity log on Sundays they will earn a 60 cent 6-inch sandwich, when they purchase a separate meal. The tracker can either be shown on a print-out or through the Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Zone app.

These local initiatives will help schools meet their wellness goals by encouraging youth to consume nutrient-rich foods and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day all Footlong Season™ long. As part of the initiatives, Subway restaurants will be supporting students in 73,000 schools across the United States.

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Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com