Los Angeles Rams linebacker Mark Barron has been awarded a Social Justice Grant for his work with TAP Inc., the NFL Foundation announced on Monday.
Once known as NFL Charities, the NFL Foundation was established by the league’s teams in 1973 to make grants to charitable causes. The NFL Foundation’s programs provide funding for youth football, the health and safety of athletes and community outreach programs.
NFL Foundation Social Justice grants provide non-profit groups with up to $5,000 on behalf of an NFL player with an eye toward “organizations, programs or initiatives that reduce barriers to opportunity. Areas of priority include, but are not limited to, education, criminal-justice reform, community/police relations and can also address poverty, racial equality and workforce/economic development.”
LA @RamsNFL & former @AlabamaFTBL standout Mark Barron has been awarded a @NFLFoundation Social Justice Grant for his work with @TAPINC_
TAP develops & institutes programs catered to the unique issues facing youth & young adults to help them find purpose & direction. #NFL #Rams pic.twitter.com/AcTADhqcAN— NFL Foundation (@NFLFoundation) August 6, 2018
TAP — Together Assisting People — states its mission “is to prepare athletes to be successful outside of athletics.” Founded by Barron’s former Alabama teammate Chris Rogers, TAP aims to help youngsters find purpose and direction.
Last Thanksgiving, Barron teamed with TAP to give away more than 1,000 free turkeys at Prichard City Hall as part of the second annual Mark Barron Fun Day, which included a cookout with hot dogs, hamburgers, fish and chicken, kids’ play area and raffles for prizes.
In May, Barron held an NFL-style combine for youngsters at D1 Sports Training in Mobile. In June, Barron held a free football camp at Sage Park in Mobile.
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Barron earned All-State recognition at St. Paul’s with the Saints’ 2007 AHSAA Class 5A championship team. He capped his prep career at St. Paul’s by winning the shot put, discus, long jump and triple jump at the AHSAA 5A outdoor track and field championships in 2008.
Barron was a three-time All-SEC safety at Alabama, where he played on teams that compiled a 48-6 record and won the BCS national championships for the 2009 and 2011 seasons. Barron earned unanimous All-American recognition in the later campaign.
Barron entered the NFL as the seventh selection of the 2012 draft.
The Rams are counting on Barron to fill one of their inside linebacker posts during the 2018 season, but he’s yet to practice with the team this offseason.
Barron played for much of the 2017 season with a torn labrum and bone spurs in his heels. After the Rams’ season ended with a 26-13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the playoffs on Jan. 6, Barron had surgery on his right shoulder followed by an operation on his left heel.
Barron has said he thinks he’ll be back on the field “somewhere in the middle” of training camp.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.
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