Giving Back: Hall of Famer Darrell Green returns to Kingsville to promote health, wellness

KINGSVILLE — Even with all of the success and fame in his life, Darrell Green has never forgotten where he came from and those who helped him along his journey to NFL stardom.

Green, who is arguably one of the NFL's most talented cornerbacks and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has always made it a priority to give back to those less fortunate.

Green continued that tradition when he visited the Douglass Youth Center in Kingsville on Friday.

Green, who graduated from Texas A&I (now Texas A&M Kingsville), teamed up with Superior HealthPlan to focus on Kids' health, wellness and the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Green was accompanied by three-time national women's basketball champion and Pro Football Hall of Fame youth ambassador Iman McFarland for a community neighborhood walk and a back-to-school community fair and fest.

"The goal is to make sure our young community understands the need to take care of themselves from a health and mental health standpoint," said Green, who was a standout football and track star with the Javelinas. "To understand the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine."

City officials and members of the community joined green for a community walk before a community fair and fest in the evening.

The event featured more than 20 vendors, food, games, back-to-school supplies, health screenings and COVID-19 vaccines for the Kingsville community.

“We want to thank Darrell Green, Iman McFarland, Douglass Youth Center and the Kingsville community for helping us organize this event,” said Superior HealthPlan President and CEO Mark Sanders. "This initiative will allow us to focus on the importance of physical and mental health, offer a way for the community to get their COVID-19 vaccines, and help children get the new school year started off right.”

Green played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002 and in 20 NFL seasons, he compiled 54 interceptions, which he returned for 621 yards and six touchdowns.

Green, who is a two-time Super Bowl champion and a seven-time pro bowl selection, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

"I want kids around the country to have good plans, good strategies and good friendships," said Green, who is from Houston. "How do you win in life? Yeah you can win in football but can you win in life? It's great to be a Hall of Fame football player but if I'm a jacked up daddy, a crappy husband, what's the deal?

"That's why I'm here. The people of this community are important to me. This is where I became a man of God and got my profession here... I'm glad to be here."

Douglass Youth Center consultant Cynthia Harper said the best part about Green is his willingness to help without hesitation. When Harper introduced the idea of visiting the Kingsville's Youth Center, Green was instantly on board.

"He understands the value of community," Harper said. "Where there's unity, God provides the blessing and he's lent his name to this incredible project. Just to think that one call made all this difference in this little town."

Green's passion for helping children and communities started in 1998 when he founded the Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation.

He's also the co-founder of Strong Youth, Strong Communities (SYSC) and the Associate Athletic Director at George Mason University.

"I’m thrilled to be coming back to Kingsville, a place that continues to mean so much to me after all these years,” Green said. "This is a meaningful homecoming because I get to work with Superior HealthPlan and the Kingsville community to promote health, wellness and the role we all can play in keeping ourselves and those around us safe.”

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Rey Castillo is a sports reporter for the Caller-Times and a graduate of Texas A&M-Kingsville. He may be reached at rey.castillo@caller.com or on Twitter @reycastillo361.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Hall of Famer Darrell Green returns to Kingsville for event