DALLAS — In an ambitious effort to confront one of the leading causes of sudden death in the United States, the American Heart Association (AHA) has joined forces with the National Football League (NFL) to dramatically improve public confidence and capability in responding to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Statistical data reveal a sobering reality: approximately nine out of every ten individuals who suffer cardiac arrest outside hospital settings fail to survive. This stark survival gap underscores an urgent need for widespread, effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education and intervention. Scientific studies have shown that immediate administration of CPR can double or even triple survival rates, a fact that fuels the intensification of initiatives like the AHA’s Nation of Lifesavers™ movement.
The collaboration between the NFL and the AHA represents a continuation of nearly two decades of partnership dedicated to improving cardiac health outcomes and promoting lifesaving skills. This initiative is underscored by an ambitious goal to double the survival rate from cardiac arrests by the year 2030, an objective grounded in rigorous epidemiological research and emergency medical evidence. Central to this effort is the expansion of accessible CPR training opportunities nationwide, targeting not only sports fans and communities but also policy advocacy to embed lifesaving protocols into public institutions.
Cardiac arrest events predominantly occur in residential settings—nearly seventy-five percent happen at home. This fact accentuates the critical need for ordinary citizens to acquire the competence and urgency needed to perform CPR effectively. “Knowing how to perform CPR can literally be the difference between life and death for someone you know and love,” states Nancy Brown, the American Heart Association’s Chief Executive Officer. Enhancing public recognition of cardiac arrest symptoms and broadening access to immediate resuscitative action are foundational to improving population health outcomes.
One of the mainstays of the campaign is the promotion of Hands-Only CPR, a simplified version of CPR focusing exclusively on chest compressions without mouth-to-mouth ventilation. Scientific research demonstrates that Hands-Only CPR can be as effective as traditional CPR during the critical initial minutes following cardiac arrest. This method also reduces barriers to initiation, as it is easier to learn, less intimidating, and eliminates concerns about disease transmission. The recommended response protocol is straightforward: upon witnessing an adolescent or adult collapse, a bystander should immediately call emergency services and commence rapid, forceful compressions in the center of the chest at an optimal rate and depth.
The NFL Draft Experience in Green Bay, Wisconsin, serves as a strategic venue for deploying the AHA’s Nation of Lifesavers Mobile CPR Unit. This on-site initiative offers free Hands-Only CPR training sessions, making resuscitation education accessible to thousands of football enthusiasts and community members alike. The interactive training emphasizes correct technique, including compression depth and rate, crucial factors identified by resuscitation science as directly influencing cardiac arrest survival odds. The objective is to convert passive observers into active lifesavers, thereby strengthening community resilience in cardiac emergencies.
The public’s awareness of cardiac arrest and the imperative for immediate intervention was galvanized in part by the widely publicized cardiac arrest suffered by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin during a January 2023 Monday Night Football game. Hamlin’s survival and subsequent role as the National Ambassador for the Nation of Lifesavers campaign exemplify how high-profile cases can inspire collective action and elevate the urgency of CPR training accessibility. His involvement helps personalize the cause and galvanizes NFL teams and communities to embrace lifesaving preparedness.
Over six decades, the American Heart Association has been instrumental in advancing resuscitation science and developing evidence-based CPR guidelines that are globally recognized and adopted. The Nation of Lifesavers initiative embodies the culmination of extensive research aimed at optimizing prehospital cardiac arrest care. Its objectives extend beyond education to include promoting the widespread availability and use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), devices proven to significantly raise survival rates by restoring effective heart rhythms during cardiac arrest episodes.
In collaboration with the NFL, the AHA also champions legislative action through the Smart Heart Sports Coalition, striving to ensure all U.S. states adopt policies mandating cardiac emergency response plans in public high schools. This advocacy focuses on implementing protocols tailored to rapidly identify and treat cardiac events in school settings, where emergency action plans incorporating AED accessibility and trained responders have been shown to markedly improve survival outcomes in youths. Given that approximately 40% of pediatric cardiac arrests occur in the context of sports, this legislative movement seeks to safeguard young athletes through robust preparedness.
Epidemiological data estimate that annually more than 23,000 children under 18 experience cardiac arrest outside of hospitals in the United States. The magnitude of this crisis is magnified by the fact that children experiencing cardiac arrest in schools equipped with AEDs have a survival rate approximately seven times higher than overall pediatric survival figures. This highlights the life-saving potential of early defibrillation combined with effective CPR as a standard component of school emergency protocols, emphasizing an evidence-based approach to public health intervention.
The NFL’s leadership in public policy and advocacy further amplifies the impact of these initiatives. With the 2025 NFL Draft hosted in Green Bay, the league actively promotes access to critical CPR education, urging policymakers to enact legislation that equips school communities with both the equipment and training necessary to combat cardiac emergencies swiftly and effectively. This engagement reflects the NFL’s commitment to athlete safety and community health beyond the playing field, recognizing cardiac arrest as a preeminent threat to young athlete mortality.
Participation by numerous NFL teams across diverse regions exemplifies the broad reach of the AHA’s training programs. From the Atlanta Falcons to the Tennessee Titans, teams have facilitated CPR and AED training for staff and community members, effectively transforming their local environments into safer spaces. Such widespread educational efforts underscore a systems-based public health approach, where multiple stakeholders collaborate to build capacity for emergency response, a critical determinant in improving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival.
The call to action is clear: every individual, regardless of location or background, is encouraged to dedicate a brief 90 seconds to learning Hands-Only CPR through accessible online platforms such as the AHA’s Nation of Lifesavers website. This minimal time investment could empower countless people to act decisively in cardiac emergencies, thereby turning potential bystanders into lifesavers and transforming public health outcomes nationwide.
The American Heart Association’s partnership with the NFL, bolstered by evidence-based strategies from decades of resuscitation research, represents a landmark campaign in the fight against cardiac arrest mortality. Through education, advocacy, and community engagement, this initiative aims to rewrite the narrative of cardiac arrest survival, transforming it from a grim statistic into a growing story of hope, empowerment, and life.
Subject of Research: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and cardiac arrest survival rates.
Article Title: American Heart Association and NFL Team Up to Revolutionize Cardiac Arrest Survival Through Hands-Only CPR Training and Policy Advocacy.
News Publication Date: April 22, 2025
Web References:
- https://www.heart.org/en/nation-of-lifesavers
- https://newsroom.heart.org/news/emergency-cardiovascular-care-impact-goal-outlines-3-target-needs#:~:text=%5B1%5D%20In%20new%20challenge%20goals,for%20doubling%20survivorship%20to%2020%25
- https://newsroom.heart.org/news/nfl-founds-coalition-to-advance-adoption-of-life-saving-policies-for-student-athletes
References:
[1] Survival data on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest — American Heart Association newsroom release, April 22, 2025.
[2] Effectiveness of Hands-Only CPR — American Heart Association scientific statements.
Keywords: Cardiac arrest, CPR, Hands-Only CPR, resuscitation science, automated external defibrillator (AED), public health policy, emergency action plans, sports safety, high school athletics, cardiac emergency response, cardiac survivorship, American Heart Association, National Football League.
