NFL Legend Anthony Munoz Leads 'Play 60' Camp at Pro Bowl

ORLANDO, FL – Over 300 children from the Orlando area took the fields at the ESPN Wide World of Sports on Wednesday morning as they participated in the NFL’s Play 60 Character Camp led by Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz and his foundation in an effort to make a positive impact on the youth community.

Through the reinforcement of character in athletics and life, children between the ages of six and 13 years old learned the fundamentals of football through life skills as they bonded with their peers.

“The Play 60 message of exercising at least an hour every day is something that we started seven years ago with the NFL around the country,” explained Munoz, who launched the non-profit Munoz Foundation over 15 years ago. “We wanted to stress the importance of exercise here through activities that depend on teamwork, but aren’t necessarily football-related.”

During his career as a player, Munoz won the NFL Man of the Year Award (1991) for his leadership on the field and in the community. He credits his knack of giving back to the coaches, teachers, and organizations that enabled him to excel both as a football player and in life.

“While I was playing in Cincinnati I got engaged in giving back to the city,” the 13-year NFL veteran offensive lineman Munoz said. “Being able to do this with the platform to give back I look at it as a way to honor those who have contributed to the success of my life. They set the example of what it means to give.”

The camp was also a part of the NFL's year-round Hispanic outreach initiative, focused on offering youth opportunities to play and experience the game of football as the league boosts its commitment to growing the game of football outside America and in countries like Mexico.

“I’ve had a chance to do camps and clinics in Mexico so I know they love the game of American football and that they’re very knowledgeable,” explained Munoz, who held football clinics in Mexico City two years ago when the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans played their international game. “It’s great that the game is expanding especially in Mexico and London because they’re big fans. They know what’s going on during the games – I can tell by their reactions – it’s exciting to see.”

Since the inception of the NFL Play 60 Character Camps in 2012, over 90 camps have been involved impacting nearly 30,000 youth members across the country. This marked the second year that Munoz participated in the NFL’s Play 60 Character Camp at the NFL Pro Bowl, a game that he played in 11 times.

“Being voted to the Pro Bowl means a lot,” Munoz recalled. “The fact that I was voted by my peers and the coaches then spending the week with the guys you get to compete against and bond that way makes it very special.”

Tickets are still available to the 2019 NFL Pro Bowl, which will be held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Sunday, January 27 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.

Editor's Note: All photos used in this story were taken by Pearl Rojo and used with the permission of the Munoz Foundation