Defensive end Chris Long, a veteran offseason acquisition for the Eagles, wanted to show support for his new teammates before a preseason matchup against the Buffalo Bills. During the national anthem, he put his arm around strong safety Malcolm Jenkins, who had his fist raised in the air for social equality. That viral moment brought unity to a locker room that rippled throughout the culturally and ideologically diverse Philadelphia region.

A week prior to that game, a white nationalist rally in Long's hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly when a Nazi sympathizer rammed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters, killing one and injuring several others. In response, Long announced he would donate his first six game checks of the season to fund scholarships in Charlottesville.

"In August, we watched people fill our hometown streets with hatred and bigotry," said Long in a press release. "[My wife] Megan and I decided to try to combat those actions with our own positive investment in our community."

In October, Long announced he would donate his remaining 10 game checks to help underserved youth in the three cities he played for: Philadelphia, Boston, and St. Louis. This move generated national attention, including praise from a former president.