Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison, thrust into a starting role after Dalvin Cook’s departure, went beyond carrying the team’s running game this season.
He extended his impact to his hometown of San Bernardino, California, his college city of Boise, and the Minneapolis area.
Launching the Rush 2 Give 2023 Giveback Tour in August, Mattison’s efforts continued through December.
His activities included hosting camps to educate children on financial literacy, providing students with hundreds of new backpacks and school supplies, offering ticket packages to Vikings games for families facing challenges, and visiting cancer patients at the Masonic Hospital in Minneapolis.
Mattison also showed appreciation to a military veteran with a tour of the team facility and a Polaris Slingshot. Additionally, he made the holidays brighter for five families with a shopping spree and assisted another family with rent.
Reflecting on his charitable work in a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Mattison emphasized the personal impact of being present at these events.
Drawing from his own childhood experiences, where success in sports was his path out of challenging circumstances, Mattison expressed gratitude for his position as a professional athlete.
He stated, “I always thought if I made it that it was gonna be bigger than me. It was gonna be bigger than football. And that I was gonna use my platform and use whatever means that I have created for myself to not only give back in some sort of capacity but to impact lives.”
🚨 VOTING IS NOW OPEN 🚨
Choose your favorite #CommunityMVP winners for the Alan Page Community Award Fan Vote presented by @MGMResortsIntl. The top 5 vote-getters will be finalists for our highest honor and receive $10K for their charity of choice.
🔗: https://t.co/4v3IeUkiep pic.twitter.com/zWuwAjg54T— NFLPA (@NFLPA) January 9, 2024
Nominated for the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award, Mattison stands among players recognized for exceptional community service, showcasing a commitment that goes above and beyond the call of duty.