Charity Gone Bad

Jarrius Robertson is a 19 year old who suffers from Biliary Atresia. This liver disease has significantly stunted his growth and caused Robertson to receive two liver transplants. Robertson first came into the eye of social media in 2015 when he became known as a New Orleans Saints ‘superfan’. His devotion to the Saints even took him all the way to the ESPY ceremony as well as becoming a Jimmy V Award recipient. The award is given to a person involved in the sports world who has reached great heights despite having the odds against them. It seemed only fitting for Robertson to win this award at the ESPYs.

As Jarrius and his family began entering the spotlight, his father set up a charity, “It Takes Lives to Save Lives”, to raise money for his son’s liver transplant and spread awareness for child transplants. It turns out that Jarrius’s transplant was covered by a combination of the hospital and Medicaid.

His father, Jordy Robertson, has now been sentenced 8 years for drug trafficking and the fraudulent money he received capitalizing off his son’s illness. Prosecutors have declared Jarrius as a victim rather than a participant in the situation. The case began in 2017 and Jordy pleaded guilty to wire fraud and drug trafficking back in 2019. The 8 year sentence also comes with a $116,216 restitution charge to repay the donors who fell victim to his phony charity.

From Quarterback to Tight End

Quarterback, Tim Tebow, hasn’t played an NFL game since 2015. Instead, the athlete has been working in the booth on the SEC Network, as well as pursuing his baseball career in the minor leagues. However, rumors were leaked and later confirmed by Jaguars General Manager, Trent Baalke, that Tebow was working out with the Jacksonville Jaguars before the 2021 draft. Baalke specifically said that the organization wouldnt indulge in contract conversations until the draft is over. Now is that time and it’s rumored that Jacksonville looks to sign a 1 year deal with Tebow, but as a Tight End. Tebow hasn’t played a single football game as a tight end, and before his departure from the league he made it clear that he would only play Quarterback.

The addition of Tim Tebow as an asset for Trevor Lawrence would create a competitive dynamic. The team seems to be assembling great players that could really connect in the offseason to compete with the league dominators like Tampa Bay and Kansas City.

NFL Continues the Fight

The NFL fell into fire during the 2020 season as the league was called out for ignoring racial injustice in their teams as well as the rest of the country. In 2016, Colin Kapernick became widely known for kneeling during the national anthem, and eventually was never re-signed to a team after his contract expired. Fast forward to 2020 and his actions would have been perceived in a whole new light. Many players kneeled together or took to social media to show support to their teammates and the fight for equality. Monday, the NFL renewed nine grants for social justice amounting to a total of $2.5 million. The organizations supported range from mentorships to kids as well as education and prison reform within the black community.

A long road lies ahead, but fans and players should take comfort in knowing that the NFL is actively doing their part to even the playing field.