The man has been in Kansas City for just a little over a year now, but from helping the Chiefs to a Super Bowl Championship to numerous charitable efforts throughout the community, safety Tyrann Mathieu has already crafted a lasting legacy in his new home.
That dedication to impacting others was in action yet again on Thursday as Mathieu participated in a 12-hour "Radiothon" on 610 Sports Radio to raise money for those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
The event - which featured interviews with more than a dozen local celebrities and a silent auction - included Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes, General Manager Brett Veach, Sporting Kansas City Head Coach Peter Vermes, Royals' All-Star Whit Merrifield, University of Kansas Head Coach Les Miles and numerous others.
"We're just trying our best to impact the people of Kansas City," Mathieu said prior to the event. "We have a lot of beneficiaries in Kansas City that this Radiothon is really going to impact, so we're hoping that the community can support it."
Those hopes were certainly answered as the Radiothon raised nearly $100,000 and counting as of Thursday night for Mathieu's foundation, which will allocate the funds to organizations providing local COVID-19 relief efforts right here in Kansas City.
"These foundations fight for everybody, so it was an easy choice for me to try and be a reflection of them in Kansas City. I'm just grateful that my teammates and my coaches supported it. It's been a great turnout," Mathieu said on the Chiefs' live YouTube show on Thursday night. "I'm grateful because this money will definitely help the people of Kansas City who do so much for us and travel so well. I don't think people realize how much everyday people invest in football, so it's important for us - especially guys like myself - to always reflect on that and to never forget that."
The Radiothon occurred in place of Mathieu's annual celebrity kickball weekend, which has become a regular event in Mathieu's hometown of New Orleans and was scheduled to occur in Kansas City for the first time this month. The current crisis led to its cancellation, but despite the realities facing our communities in these unprecedented times, Mathieu still found a way to give back to those in need of some help.
To learn more about Mathieu's foundation, click here.
