National Football League Alumni

The NFL Alumni is a 501(c)(3) charity that is composed of former National Football League (NFL) players and associate members who work voluntarily to raise funds for youth-oriented causes and engage in hands-on service to foster the development of "youth through sports and sports through youth".

The NFL Alumni advances its motto of "Caring for Kids" from its national headquarters at 1 Washington Park in Newark, New Jersey and an additional 30 chapters across the country. The NFL Alumni is a dues-paying membership association. Anyone who ever played professional football qualifies to join as a Professional Member. Individuals who did not play in the NFL may enroll as Associate Members The cornerstone of the NFL Alumni's fundraising efforts is its Charity Golf Classic Tour which began in 1979. Among its programs for former players is the Dire Need Trust that provides financial assistance for former NFL players in need. Another program is the Pro Legends Speakers Bureau, which books former NFL players for personal appearances around the country.

National Football League

The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, and the highest professional level of American football in the world. The NFL's 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas, with each team playing sixteen games and having one bye week. Following the conclusion of the regular season, six teams from each conference (four division winners and two wild card teams) advance to the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl, played between the champions of the NFC and AFC.

The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1923 season. The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League (AFL) in 1966, and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season; the merger was completed in 1970. Today, the NFL has the highest average attendance (67,591) of any professional sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States. The Super Bowl is among the biggest club sporting events in the world and individual Super Bowl games account for many of the most watched television programs in American history, all occupying the Nielsen's Top 5 tally of the all-time most watched U.S. television broadcasts by 2015. The NFL's executive officer is the commissioner, who has broad authority in governing the league.

San Mateo

San Mateo, Spanish for Saint Matthew, is the name for many places:

Bolivia

Canada

Canary Islands

Colombia

Costa Rica

Guatemala

Mexico

State of Mexico

Oaxaca

Peru

Philippines

Spain

United States

Amputee football

Amputee football is an disabled sport played with seven players on each team (six outfield players and one goalkeeper). Outfield players have lower extremity amputations, and goalkeepers have an upper extremity amputation. Outfield players use loftstrand (forearm) crutches, and play without their prosthesis.

Amputee Football Associations Around the World

There are several amputee football associations around the world. A couple examples of this are the England Amputee Association and The Irish Amputee Football Association. Each organization promotes the advancement of the sport and that it gains more recognition. Not only that, but mainly they also believe in providing hope and opportunity to the amputees. For example, the England Amputee Football Association states their main goal on their website as "The England Amputee Football Association's aim is to provide all amputees, people with congenital limb deficiencies and persons with restricted use of limbs, with the opportunity to play football locally, nationally and internationally. So if you are a cancer survivor, ex or serving military, or limbless for any other reason, everyone is welcome to try this fantastic sport - You don't need crutches to play this game!"

J. J. Birden

LaJourdain J. Birden Sr. (born June 16, 1965) is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 8th round of the 1988 NFL Draft.

A 5'10", 157-lb. wide receiver, Birden graduated from Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon and the University of Oregon. He played in 9 NFL seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons from 1988 to 1996.

College statistics

After football

Following his football career, Birden became an executive for Team X 88, a distributor of Isagenix health and wellness products. He's also a keynote speaker and now a bestselling author with his new book When Opportunity Knocks 8 Sure Fire Ways to Take Advantage! He is married to his wife Raina and they have eight children (3 biological and 5 nieces and nephews). Currently they live in Scottsdale.

In 2010 JJ was inducted into the University of Oregon Athletic Hall of Fame for the Ducks 1985 Track and Field NCAA Championship team.