American Football Without Barriers arrives in Lisbon, Portugal March 7 and the 15 current and former NFL players will then spend the following five days spreading the word about American football throughout the country and region in and around Algarve, the main base of operations.
Former Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge leads a contingent of dedicated NFL players including former Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame wide receiver Andre Reed, Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Marcus Peters, former Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams, Indianapolis Colts defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Jabaal Sheard, Colts defensive backs Chris Milton and Matthias Farley, Browns quarterback Kevin Hogan, Atlanta Falcons guard Ben Garland, New England Patriots defensive back Johnson Bademosi, Pittsburgh Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix, Texans quarterback Josh Johnson, and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints fullback Erik Lorig.
In total, the AFWB contingent will spend eight days in Portugal from March 7-14. The group will be in Lisbon for various activities March 7-8 and 13-14, and in Algarve for the camps March 9-12. A number of community events have been embedded in the group’s schedule, including a visit to a NATO air base, a visit with victims of the deadly 2017 wildfires that ravaged Portugal, and a visit to a Portuguese orphanage and home for neglected children. The actual football camps will take place March 10-11 in Faro, the capital of Portugal’s Algarve region. There will be a total of five sessions, including a coaching clinic.
Algarve Sharks head coach Lance Heron:
“We are honored to have NFL players take time out of their busy offseason to come spread American football across Portugal. It is the first time we can remember this many NFL players coming to our country. We feel blessed they are willing to commit their time to grow American football as well as highlight Portugal’s nonprofits that are doing great work in our community.”
The sixth-annual AFWB Football Camp is free and it is open to men, women and children of all ages and experience levels. Space is still available for interested participants. For more information or to register for the camp, visit www.afwbportugal.com or algarvesharks.org.
About American Football Without Barriers
American Football Without Barriers is a nonprofit organization dedicated to globalizing Americanfootball and reaching underprivileged communities with a humanitarian message. In addition to international camps, AFWB hosts several camps in the U.S. aimed at teaching underprivileged kids to play American football.
To learn more about American Football Without Barriers, please visit www.afwbcamp.com.