Presidential Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman Commissioned to Compose
an Original Piece about the Resiliency of the Honorary Game Captains
Three heroes who served as leaders in their respective
communities during the global pandemic will be honored at Super Bowl LV on
Sunday, Feb. 7 at Raymond James Stadium, NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL
announced today.
The three Honorary Captains – Educator TRIMAINE
DAVIS, Nurse Manager SUZIE DORNER and Veteran JAMES MARTIN – will
participate in the official on-field Coin Toss ceremony. All three were
selected because of their dedication and selfless commitment to helping others.
These heroes are symbolic of the thousands of health-care professionals,
educators, and veterans throughout our country who continue to care for, heal
and support those in need during this pandemic. Together they embody our
season-long message of ‘It Takes All of Us’.
Before the Honorary Captains are recognized on-field, Presidential
Inaugural Poet AMANDA GORMAN will recite an original poem about these
three individuals in recognition of their tremendous impact during an unprecedented
year. The recitation of the poem will air nationally on CBS and be featured
in-stadium.
“We are honored to recognize these three
individuals who represent the best in all of us,” said NFL Commissioner Roger
Goodell. “During this incredibly challenging time in our lives, Trimaine, Suzie,
and James have exemplified the essence of leadership, each in their own way. We
are grateful for their commitment and proud to share their stories and recognize
them during this special moment on Super Bowl Sunday.”
Below are more details about the three Super
Bowl LV Honorary Captains:
TRIMAINE DAVIS: (Educator- Los
Angeles, CA) Amidst the pandemic, Trimaine made it a priority to ensure
both his students and members of their households had devices and internet
access to help bridge the digital divide. Not only did Trimaine secure
hotspots, laptops, and tablets for his students, but he hosted tech workshops
for families to learn how to make use of the devices. Throughout his career,
Trimaine has prioritized the academic success of Black students through his
work with the CSU Northridge Black Male Initiative, San Diego State's Student African
American Brotherhood, Afrikan Student Union, and more.
Trimaine was surprised with his selection as
an Honorary Captain by ANGELA LACHICA and NFL Legend DOUG BALDWIN
of the Players Coalition – which can be seen here.
SUZIE DORNER: (Nurse Manager –
Tampa, FL) Suzie is currently the COVID ICU Nurse Manager at Tampa
General Hospital and has been serving the local Tampa community for more than
eight years. In the face of tragedy, Suzie worked selflessly, as all nurses do,
to prioritize others and work endless hours to assist many in their battles
with COVID-19. Suzie lost two grandparents to the pandemic and represents the
thousands of healthcare workers across the country and across the world that
have risked their own lives for the sake of our own.
Suzie was surprised with the news of her
selection as an Honorary Captain by Tampa Bay Buccaneers Legend and Co-Chairman
of the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee DERRICK BROOKS – which can be
seen here.
JAMES MARTIN: (Marine Corps Veteran – Pittsburgh, PA) During
the COVID-19 global pandemic, James’ contributions to his community are
limitless. He has worked supporting veterans, high school athletes and local
youth. James connected more than 1,800 fellow veterans and their families to
one another virtually this past year through Wounded Warrior Project® and its
livestreaming and video game events. This season he also volunteered to
livestream every home football game for Aliquippa High School so family and
fans could cheer on their favorite players from home. Lastly, James opened his
home to needy kids in his neighborhood, offering them a comfortable home, while
still attending to his own children, one of whom has special needs.
James was surprised with the news of his
selection as an Honorary Captain by Pittsburgh Steelers Legend JEROME BETTIS
– which can be seen here.
# # #
Amanda Gorman is the youngest Presidential Inaugural
Poet in U.S. history. She is a committed advocate for the environment, racial
equality and gender justice. Amanda's activism and poetry have been featured on
the Today Show, PBS Kids, and CBS This Morning, and in
the New York
Times, Vogue, Essence, and O magazine. In 2017,
UrbanWord named her the first ever National Youth Poet Laureate of the United
States. After graduating from Harvard University, she now lives in her
hometown of Los Angeles. The special edition of her inaugural
poem, The Hill We Climb, will be published in Spring 2021. Her debut
picture book, Change Sings, and first poetry collection, The
Hill We Climb and Other Poems, will be published in the fall of 2021.
Please visit theamandagorman.com.
Media Contact:
Jordyn White, NFL, jordyn.white@nfl.com