Bears leadership group joins players to support My Cause My Cleats initiative 

While community engagement and advocacy is a year-round priority for the Bears, the team's strong and consistent participation in My Cause My Cleats highlights each player's passion for their personal causes.

“Our boys have been great when it comes to being involved in the community and giving back,” said coach Matt Eberflus. “Every Wednesday meeting we talk about how the boys were on their day off and they always give something back. Another way to do this is My Cause My Cleats. The boys are super involved in it. That's really cool to see what organizations support the guys and have the opportunity to ask them questions about their concerns, and the guys are so engaged and connected to it.”

For Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles, it was rewarding to see the commitment of players and coaches increase. This year, more than 40 players and coaches will showcase their customized shoes this Thursday in Detroit.

“This sport that we play, due to its popularity, provides a platform for all of our employees, coaches and athletes to recognize those organizations that are creating change and inspiring others or even raising awareness of certain causes,” Poles said. “I love the fact that the league allows our guys to use this as their own message board for the things they believe in. Usually it's just about being consistent, but I love when there's a space where everyone can be unique, it's for a really good cause.”

2024 also marks the second consecutive season that every member of the Bears organization will have the opportunity to design their own Nike Air Force 1s and support a good cause.

While Poles and Eberflus joined other members of the football operations staff in the initiative in 2022, the immediate buy-in from the Bears business staff last year inspired President and CEO Kevin Warren and Chairman George H. McCaskey to get involved.

“Last year we had a lot of participation from our staff, and I think that helped the four of us decide that we should get involved too,” McCaskey said. “So I think the dynamic comes from the employees to us and not the other way around.”

The Bears leadership group supports a variety of causes, each with a personal connection to its recognized organizations. Warren represents his and his wife Greta's charity Warren Family Foundationthat embraces, educates, and empowers youth in the community through accessible opportunities that expand their worldview.

The Warren Family Foundation supports youth in communities near the Warrens, such as Chicago and Minneapolis, and nationally, in a variety of ways, including scholarships, private tutoring, back-to-school shopping experiences and after-school programs. The foundation has also financed an emergency aid fund for children with cancer and their families Carolyn's comfort and donated $1 million to Lurie's Children Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Chicago earlier this year.

“Youth are the future of this country, this world,” Warren said. “I would say it's a requirement for adults to make sure we support youth in different ways. You are our future. And the fact that they had very little to do to create the complicated nature of the country and the world we live in, we are all in favor of supporting them, especially when it comes to health and well-being and education and Experiences are possible.”