More Than Football: Rams Players Turn a Day Off Into a Day of Service

By Jason Burrell | South Bay Black Journal

Long before backpacks were filled with notebooks and school supplies, children walked through the doors of a Walmart in Torrance carrying something less visible anticipation.

Some smiled as they spotted Los Angeles Rams players waiting to greet them. Others paused in disbelief before realizing they would spend the afternoon shopping alongside athletes they had only watched on television.

For most NFL players, an off day during training camp is a chance to recover from the physical demands of football.

Kyren Williams with Ram fan Jacob. (Jackson Burrell/Photo)

On Tuesday, Kyren Williams, Josh Wallace, Larrell Murchison, Tim Keenan, Tyler Davis, Desjuan Johnson and Tanner Ingle chose to spend theirs investing in the next generation.

Inside a Walmart in Torrance, the Rams players joined the team’s Cheerleaders, mascot Rampage and community partner Call Jacob to help more than 50 children from underserved communities prepare for the upcoming school year.

Partnering with Call Jacob and the LAUSD Education Foundation, the Rams hosted more than 50 children from underserved communities for a back-to-school shopping spree. Each child received a $200 gift card to purchase school supplies and other necessities while spending the afternoon with Rams players, cheerleaders and mascot Rampage. The event marked the third back-to-school shopping partnership between the Rams and Call Jacob, with students selected through the organization’s partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District.

For many of those families, the event provided meaningful support during one of the most financially challenging times of the year.

“Over 80% of LAUSD families are low-income, making back-to-school season a time of real financial hardship,” said LAUSD Education Foundation Executive Director Sadie Jefferson, PhD. “The Los Angeles Rams are an incredible partner to the LAUSD Education Foundation, and this shopping experience directly lifts that heavy burden off our parents’ shoulders so our students can start day one confident and prepared.”

For running back Kyren Williams, the afternoon represented far more than distributing backpacks and notebooks.

It reflected who he believes he has been called to be.

“That’s just who I am,” Williams said. “The way I got into this game, the way I was inspired by this game was through community service, and it was through the Rams.”

Long before becoming one of the NFL’s emerging young running backs, Williams remembers what it felt like to meet professional athletes who inspired him to dream bigger.

Now, he hopes to become that same source of encouragement for someone else.

Jacob Emrani, founder of Call Jacob and one of the Rams’ longtime community partners reflected meeting with Kyren Williams. Jacob Emrani recalled greeting Williams with a simple message. “I’m glad you’ve put both feet on the ground here in Los Angeles.” Williams’ response stayed with him. “This is home for me now.” (Jackson Burrell/Photo)

“God has blessed me and placed me here,” Williams said. “I feel like that’s my duty. I feel like that’s what the Lord has called me to do, to excel on the football field, but also be who you are off the field, inspiring and motivating not only the youth but whoever is around me.”

Those words carried additional weight because someone who has come to know Williams away from football described the very same character.

Jacob Emrani, founder of Call Jacob and one of the Rams’ longtime community partners, said Tuesday’s event reflected the same person he has come to know away from the spotlight.

“I’ve had a chance to hang out with Kyren off the field. I’ve had a chance to have my family interact with his family,” Emrani said. “This is Kyren.”

Jacob & Rampage (Jackson Burrell/Photo)

Emrani said Williams’ commitment to serving the community isn’t driven by appearances or obligation.

“He really wants to be here,” Emrani said. “I haven’t been to an event that I’ve done that he hasn’t been at.”

Emrani recalled greeting Williams with a simple message.

“I’m glad you’ve put both feet on the ground here in Los Angeles.” 

Williams’ response stayed with him.

“This is home for me now.”

“For me,” Emrani said, “he’s not just talking about giving back. He’s actually doing it.”

As one of the team’s veteran leaders, Williams was encouraged to see so many teammates spending their day off serving others, believing leadership within the Rams extends well beyond the practice field.

“A lot of guys on this team aren’t followers,” Williams said. “They’re leaders. If they have an example to follow, they know the right thing to do.”

That leadership was evident throughout the afternoon.

Cornerback Josh Wallace, like many players competing through the grind of training camp, could have spent his day recovering.

Instead, he spent it helping five-year-old Riley prepare for kindergarten.

“It’s important because it’s for the kids,” Wallace said. “School is coming up soon, so it was a great time for me and my teammates to come out here and give them a great experience.”

Josh Wallace and Riley (Jackson Burrell/Photo)

Watching Riley smile as he chose school supplies reminded Wallace of his own childhood in Maryland, when he participated in community backpack drives.

Years ago, he was one of the children receiving support.

On Tuesday, he became one of the people providing it.

For Emrani, those moments explain why partnering with the Rams has become so meaningful.

“We looked for organizations that genuinely care about the community,” he said. “The Rams are one of those organizations.”

Williams understands football careers are temporary.

The opportunity to influence people is not.

“This could be taken away from me any day of the week,” Williams said. “I’m just trying to inspire as many people as I can.”

As shopping carts rolled toward the checkout lanes, they carried far more than backpacks, notebooks and pencils.

For dozens of children, they carried home something less tangible but perhaps even more lasting. The memory that, on one of the few days NFL players could have chosen themselves, a group of Los Angeles Rams chose to invest in them instead.