Ravens star Kyle Hamilton talks about helping military children for NFL's annual My Cause My Cleats
One of the best weeks in the NFL season is upon us, as My Cause My Cleats will bring attention to hundreds of organizations players around the league chose to help through customized cleats worn on game day.
Over the next two weeks, players will be permitted to break outside their traditional team colors for their game day footwear, and Baltimore Ravens star safety Kyle Hamilton unveiled his cleats ahead of a matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday.
Hamilton, in partnership with USAA, the official Salute to Service partner of the NFL, chose to help Our Military Kids, a nonprofit organization for kids with parents in the military, either deployed or recovering from combat injuries.
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Hamilton spoke to Fox News Digital about why this was the right cause for him while discussing his time with several of those children in the program that he surprised a few weeks back at the Ravens’ complex.
"My Cause My Cleats is a great week of the year for players to show some individuality and highlight some causes they feel need to be talked out, and I feel like I appreciate USAA for partnering with me on this," Hamilton, in his third year with the Ravens, said.
"We had them to the facility a few weeks ago, and about six or seven of them, ranging from ages 7 to about 13, had a great time. Got to talk with them and play some football, play some basketball. [We] broke a good sweat. We were playing for probably an hour. It was awesome.
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"To have that time to humanize myself and give those kids the opportunity to ask questions or whatever. It was pretty cool."
While Hamilton had a good time at the Ravens’ complex with the children from Our Military Kids, his greatest moments were the conversations he had with them, which led to an understanding of how much they sacrifice like their parents.
"It kinda puts everything into perspective," Hamilton said. "They have such a happy outlook on life, and I’ve always said, they don’t get to choose their families or their situation. But they make the most of it, and I feel like that’s something all of us can take from even 7-, 8-year-old kids. To have a great outlook on life, play the cards that you’re dealt. And it definitely rubbed off on me to take a step back and appreciate where I am."
Hamilton also mentioned going to South Korea to a United States Army base, Camp Humphreys, outside of Seoul, where he met even more kids during a football camp. Each time he interacts with these children and families, he develops a greater appreciation for our armed services and those affected by the sacrifices made each day.
"It’s not the situation I’m sure they’d want to be in," Hamilton said of military children. "I’m sure they’d rather be at home playing high school basketball with their friends, but it’s the sacrifices that their families make. And just my ability to highlight that and appreciate them and do as much as I can to just show they’re being thought of, it's the least I can do."
Hamilton's cleats were designed by Marcus Rivero, also known as Soles by Sir, and he featured the Our Military Kids logo front and center on one of the shoes with a picture of kids playing together.
On the other shoe, different branches of the military are spelled out in different fonts and colors on a purple base.
Ten other Ravens, including tight end Mark Andrews and receiver Rashod Bateman, will be wearing custom cleats to show off the causes they are helping this year.
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