Tulane NFL Players Form The “Players’ Zone”

Tulane’s six veteran NFL players have joined together to purchase 1,000 Green Wave football youth season tickets which will be used to form “The Players’ Zone” – a special seating area at the Superdome and Tad Gormley Stadium for underprivileged youth in the New Orleans Metro area.

Current NFL professionals Shaun King (QB, 1995-98), Patrick Ramsey (QB, 1999-2001), JaJuan Dawson (WR, 1996-99), Dennis O’Sullivan (DT, 1995-98), Jerald Sowell (RB, 1993-96) and Bernard Robertson (OL, 1997-2000) will sponsor the area for each of the next five seasons. O’Sullivan and Sowell play for the New York Jets while King is with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dawson has joined the Houston Texans, Ramsey is slated to start at quarterback for the Washington Redskins and Bernard Robertson enters his third season with the Chicago Bears.

“Without Division I football, this group of players, all graduates of Tulane University currently in the NFL, would not have been able to experience the unique opportunity of receiving a world-class education and competing at the highest level of collegiate athletics,” said King, a quarterback for the world champion Bucs. “It’s our pleasure to come together with this effort which will benefit children in the New Orleans Metro Area and help support our alma mater.”

In addition, tickets purchased last month by Sheriffs Harry Lee of Jefferson Parish, Charles Foti of Orleans Parish and Jack Stephens of St. Bernard Parish for the purpose of sending kids to Tulane games will be assigned to the “Players’ Zone” and their assistance will be enlisted for the distribution of other Players’ Zone tickets. Sheriff JackStrain of St. Tammany said his office will assist with distribution so that the youth of St. Tammany Parish will be included in this effort.

“We’re grateful to Shaun, Patrick, JaJuan, Dennis, Jerald and Bernard for publicly stepping up to support our program now,” said Rick Dickson, Tulane Director of Athletics. “These alumni are great representatives of Tulane University and continue to bring notoriety and publicity to the University in their professional lives just as they did as student-athletes here. This effort is just the latest example of the amazing support we have received across all levels of the Tulane community.”

- THINK GREEN -