When the Detroit Lions take the field for their Week 12 showdown with the New York Giants, their footwear will tell stories far beyond football. As part of the NFL’s annual “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign, players and coaches will wear specially designed shoes that highlight charities and missions that matter deeply to them. Local and national artists collaborate with participants to create unique designs, many of which will later be auctioned off through NFL Auction to raise money for the featured causes.

Fans can view the full league-wide list of causes by clicking the league’s official release.

Here’s a rundown of the Lions’ selected causes and the inspirations behind them

Player Causes and Statements

DL Myles Adams — CALM
Adams is using his cleats to spotlight mental health support within underserved Black communities, especially focusing on Black women and efforts to remove the stigma around their mental wellness needs.

CB Terrion Arnold — Lupus Foundation of America
Arnold’s family has been personally affected by lupus, motivating him to bring more attention to the struggle and the organizations supporting patients.

G Kayode Awosika — Keep The School Safe
Awosika says he’s seen firsthand the damage bullying can inflict and hopes to promote a kinder, safer environment for children.

LB Derrick Barnes — Downtown Boxing Gym (DBG)
Barnes has spent several months working with DBG, an organization that helps youth chase academic and professional dreams while giving them a supportive community.

DB Brian Branch — American Cancer Society
Branch’s mother’s battle with breast cancer shaped his life, and he’ll honor her strength—as well as that of others who’ve fought or are fighting—through his cleats.

LB Jack Campbell — Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
An Iowa native, Campbell is shining a light on an organization dedicated to protecting the state’s natural environment—its wildlife, water, and land.

T Taylor Decker — Alternatives for Girls
As a father and husband, Decker says supporting women and girls in vulnerable situations is deeply meaningful to him.

CB Khalil Dorsey — Friends Giving Back & Head to Speech
Dorsey values Friends Giving Back for its community-building mission. He’s also supporting Head to Speech, which works to improve athlete brain health by connecting sports with communication sciences.

OL Miles Frazier — National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NJ)
Frazier’s mother lives with MS, and his family participated in MS walks throughout his childhood, making this cause particularly personal.

S Thomas Harper — Tackle for Change
Founded by the Harper brothers, this organization creates programs that empower underserved youth by giving them access to opportunities they might otherwise lack.

LS Hogan Hatten — Matt’s Place Foundation
Hatten is raising awareness for ALS in memory of a family friend, Mike Springer, who passed away from the disease.

S Kerby Joseph — ELEVATE Orlando
Joseph once participated in this youth mentorship program himself and now wants to give back so current students can benefit the same way he did.

WR Tom Kennedy — Tunnel to Towers Foundation
With a father who served 35 years in the NYPD and a sister who also worked in law enforcement, Kennedy chose a foundation that supports first responders and their families.

DL Tyler Lacy — American Cancer Association
Lacy honors his mother, who survived breast cancer.

DL Roy Lopez — RL Foundation & The Hidden Opponent
Lopez is highlighting his own nonprofit, which supports student-athletes, as well as The Hidden Opponent, which advocates for mental health awareness in sports.

WR Dominic Lovett — Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Lovett credits the Boys & Girls Club with helping shape his life and wants to return that support.

LB Trevor Nowaske — Susan G. Komen
Nowaske aims to boost cancer awareness; his mother is a skin cancer survivor, making the cause personal.

DL Levi Onwuzurike — MATIO
Onwuzurike is dedicating his cleats to children battling cancer, believing kids—our future—deserve as much help as possible.

WR Kalif Raymond — Michigan Veterans Foundation & Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan
Raymond will feature two causes, one on each cleat: support for homeless veterans, an issue he’s witnessed both in Detroit and his hometown Atlanta, and the Boys & Girls Club for its impact on local youth.

DL DJ Reader — A Son Never Forgets
Reader’s own foundation emphasizes family bonds and promotes education, health, and overall wellness for youth.

LB Malcolm Rodriguez — Make-A-Wish
Rodriguez has worked with Make-A-Wish children in the past and wants to give them something special to remember.

RB Jacob Saylors — Autism Speaks
Saylors chose this organization because several of his close friends have autism. He wants to emphasize that autism makes people unique, not lesser.

T Dan Skipper — Detroit Firemen’s Fund Association
Skipper wants to support firefighters and their families in difficult times, recognizing the sacrifices first responders make.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown — St. Brown Foundation
Founded in 2025 by Amon-Ra, Equanimeous, and Osiris St. Brown, the foundation helps students build confidence, grow academically, and reach for ambitious goals.

LB Grant Stuard — Pure Heart Foundation
Stuard is spotlighting an organization dedicated to supporting children with incarcerated parents and helping them break cycles of generational involvement in the justice system.

S Daniel Thomas — Autism Speaks
Thomas supports this cause in honor of his nephew Mason, who has autism, and says he brings awareness to it every year.

WR Jameson Williams — The Jameson Williams Foundation
Williams’ own foundation focuses on supporting families and children who face hardships, ensuring they have access to opportunities and resources.

DL Tyleik Williams — Brilliant Cities
Williams supports this group’s mission to transform abandoned areas into thriving community spaces where families can gather, grow, and connect—something he appreciates as a member of the Detroit community.

TE Shane Zylstra — Orchards Children’s Services
Zylstra is using his cleats to highlight an organization that provides essential support to foster children and families.

OL Tate Ratledge — DGD Outdoor Adventures
Ratledge worked closely with this youth-based organization during college and wants to continue uplifting kids in the Athens, Georgia community

Coach Causes

Hank Fraley — Breakthrough T1D
Fraley says two of his children were recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He wants to raise awareness about early symptoms and support efforts to advance lifesaving technology and work toward a cure.

Kacy Rodgers — Lifting Brothers Up
Rodgers supports this mentoring and skills-development program for young men, noting that he personally benefited from similar guidance growing up.