NFL My Cause, My Cleats 2025
Art. Advocacy. Hope.
When two foster youth artists stepped onto the sidelines of Gillette Stadium, their art and their story walked onto the field.
About the Initiative
Where the NFL meets purpose.
Created by the NFL in 2016, My Cause, My Cleats gives players a platform to showcase the causes they're passionate about, through custom-designed cleats worn during a designated game. Every pair tells a story. Every step on that field carries a cause.
In 2025, Austin Hooper used that platform to elevate mental wellness for foster youth, partnering with the Artem Vale Foundation and collaborating with artists from More Than Words to turn his cleats into a powerful statement of resilience, advocacy, and hope.
"These cleats symbolize more than art. They symbolize what becomes possible when youth are seen, supported, and surrounded by community." - Austin Hooper
When Art Meets Advocacy
The story behind
the cleats.
At More Than Words in Boston, two young adults, Jamal and Adele, have been rewriting their stories after growing up in foster care. While developing workforce skills, they also discovered a passion for art and creative expression.
"On December 1st, Jamal and Adele stood on the sidelines at Gillette Stadium, watching Austin take the field wearing the cleats they created by hand, a moment of pride, visibility, and hope."
This fall, they were selected to collaborate with renowned cleat artist Jonathan Hrusovsky to design custom cleats for NFL tight end Austin Hooper as part of the league's My Cause, My Cleats initiative.
Jamal and Adele incorporated the logos of Artem Vale Foundation, More Than Words, and the Austin Hooper Foundation, three organizations united in breaking cycles and providing mental-health tools to young adults transitioning into independence.
Game Day | December 1, 2025
The moment
they walked the field.
"On December 1st, Jamal and Adele stood on the sidelines at Gillette Stadium, watching Austin Hooper, #81 take the field wearing the cleats they created by hand."
It was a moment of pride, visibility, and hope for two young artists who grew up without a consistent safety net, standing inside one of the NFL's most iconic stadiums, watching their art move with every step of a professional athlete.
The cleats were also featured in a virtual auction supporting youth aging out of foster care, extending their impact beyond the game itself.
Partnership
United by a shared mission.
We are proud to partner with the Austin Hooper Foundation, uniting our shared commitment to uplifting foster youth and supporting their mental wellness.
We are proud to partner with the Austin Hooper Foundation, uniting our shared commitment to uplifting foster youth and supporting their mental wellness. Together, we’re creating meaningful opportunities, amplifying youth voices, and building programs that ensure every young adult aging out of care has the tools, community, and hope they deserve.