Eagles’ Jalen Carter donates to his hometown youth football program affected by gun violence: ‘I want to do something’
After an 11-year-old football player allegedly shot two Pop Warner teammates outside the Apopka, Fla. field where Carter once played, he wanted to have a "lasting" effect on the football program.
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Eagles rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter was taken aback last week when a video emerged from his hometown of Apopka, Fla.
It showed an 11-year-old shooting two 13-year-old teammates after a football practice, police said. The shooting, reportedly over a bag of chips occurred in the parking lot of the same field — the Northwest Recreation Complex — where Carter grew up learning to love the sport, playing with his local youth programs, including the Apopka Lions and Rams.
The gun reportedly was in the 11-year-old’s mother’s SUV. The boy’s attorney said his client was being bullied. He faces a count of attempted second-degree murder. A single shot wounded both victims.
After hearing the news and watching the video, Carter called his mother, Tonique Brown, who still resides in the area.
“I said, ‘Mom, I want to do something about this,’” Carter recalled Friday from the NovaCare Complex. “The shooting happened at the exact area where I used to play when I was a kid. I used to play there all the time.”
After discussing it with his mother, Carter offered a $5,000 donation to be used for mental health and counseling services for Apopka Pop Warner players, coaches, and their families. The donation was presented in front of local officials including Apopka’s mayor and youth football players on Thursday, when Brown made an appearance on behalf of her son.
”It’s not about the money, it’s not about anything like that monetary. That cannot fix the situation,” Brown told reporters on the field. “However, providing the proper services ongoing for the children that are affected is what’s going to be lasting.”
Moving forward, Carter and Brown indicated the family plans to increase their involvement with the Apopka community. This past summer, Carter hosted his second annual youth football camp.
“That was very big for the mayor and police chief to be there with her. I haven’t met them personally — at first, I just wanted to find a way to give back to the kids,” Carter said. “But to get their input and know we have more projects on the way, it’s very important to them as it is important to me.”
Former University of Georgia and current Eagles teammates Nakobe Dean and Nolan Smith said they weren’t surprised by Carter’s gesture. Back in college, the trio of players — along with Eagles second-year defensive tackle Jordan Davis and rookie cornerback Kelee Ringo — participated in community events that catered to the youth. According to Smith, Carter often would be the one spearheading the group’s efforts with his involvement and enthusiasm.
“He’s a giving person,” Smith said. “You’re going to get the same JC every single day, you’re not going to get a different person. Any time I’ve ever asked him for any type of favor, he’s always one to [go to], no matter the situation.”
Said Dean: “It says a lot about his character. Him being able to give back where he came from, he’s an inspiration to those younger kids. My passion is the youth and working for the younger generation coming up, so seeing him do that is an inspiration to remember his hometown, his community.”
» READ MORE: Eagles’ Nakobe Dean stays sharp and gives back to the Philadelphia youth while on injured reserve
On the field, Carter has been a smash hit for the Eagles, who traded up one selection to draft him at No. 9 overall. Through five games, Carter leads the team with 3½ sacks. His early dominance has catapulted him into conversation as not only one of the top rookies, but also as one of the top defensive players in the league. Carter’s 23 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, tied him with the Rams’ Aaron Donald, a seven-time All-Pro, for most among defensive tackles.
That momentum, though, hit a slight stall Wednesday when Carter sustained an ankle injury during practice. He will miss his Sunday’s game when the Eagles (5-0) visit the New York Jets (2-3).
On Friday, Carter was receiving around-the-clock treatment and sported medical tape around his left foot/ankle.
“I don’t see it as something keeping him out very long,” Sirianni said.
The Eagles visit the New York Jets on Sunday. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest story lines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from MetLife Stadium.