For San Francisco 49ers cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, giving back has been a priority since he was an aspiring NFL player.
“We didn’t have a lot of guys in my community giving back,” Moseley said. “It’s not the biggest community. I always told myself whenever I got an opportunity to make it and be able to give back to the community, I always wanted to do that.”
Every October, the NFL focuses on reducing the risk of cancer through early detection with Crucial Catch awareness month, and this year, the San Francisco 49ers, in partnership with Dignity Health, hosted eight cancer warriors at TopGolf.
Moseley, TE George Kittle, LB Fred Warner, DL D.J. Jones, WR Mohamed Sanu, LB Azeez Al-Shaair, TE Ross Dwelley, S Jaquiski Tartt, S Jimmie Ward, OL Daniel Brunskill, TE Charlie Woerner, S Talanoa Hufanga, DL Maurice Hurst, DL Alex Barrett, and DL Darrion Daniels all participated in the event.
“The group I was in, the lady, she was super cool,” Moseley said. “Just getting a chance to play TopGolf with her and just talk about her story, the things that she’s been through. A lot of times as human beings, we want to complain about things that we go through, and what they went through is so much bigger than what a lot of us go through. So, just hearing her story and hearing how she persevered just helps me on the field. I got a letter that she wrote to me so I look at that before the game and go out there and just give my all.”
Just as each cancer warrior provided a player a card with the inspiration that helped them through treatment, each player shared a football with a motivational quote that speaks to him. The message Moseley shared was “Just see it through.”
“Just continue to go through life,” Moseley said. “She already passed the big test, and just be a testament to people and keep encouraging people.”
Earlier this year, Moseley started the Moseley Legacy Foundation with the goal of empowering youth through resources, education and wellness. Moseley, who is from North Carolina, did his first event at his elementary, Falkener Elementary School, in Greensboro.
“We just want to give back to the kids, if that’s on-the-field, if that’s in the school, or just any way that we can be impacted to the kids,” Moseley said.
This season Iām pledging to create change for our community and make a difference for our youth. Help join my campaign to support, impact, and bless those in need. https://t.co/fGmhYInB32
ā Emmanuel Moseley (@Mannymoseley) September 24, 2021
Over 150 students were treated to a new backpack filled with school supplies. In early September, the Foundation partnered with Dick’s Sports Goods to provide athletic gear to the Boys and Girls Club of Silicon Valley.
Next up in the bay will be an event for Thanksgiving, while Moseley will be doing a Christmas event in North Carolina.
Moseley has been involved in 49ers community events since he was a rookie in 2018 and one of his favorites was at Shoe Palace.
“That event was great,” Moseley said. “They gave out thousands and thousands of shoes for kids. Just to see the reaction on their face, it was amazing.”
As a veteran of the league, Moseley has not become a resource for his teammates.
“I know E-man, he does a lot of stuff in the community too, so, I can piggy back off of him,” said linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. “Like I know he has something going on and I’ll say, ‘Hey bro, what are you getting into?’ He tells me, oh, I got this community service been doing X, Y, Z. So I’m like, oh yeah, I’m definitely on board with it. Because sometimes you just don’t know what you don’t know.”
It’s a role that Moseley enjoys, as community is a priority for the cornerback.
“I have noticed a lot of guys that came to me for questions about things that they can do, ways that they can help my Foundation,” Moseley said. “I definitely feel like I’m a leader in locker room when it comes to that. The 49ers organization, they do a lot in the community, so they kind of help me get ideas and do my own thing.”
You can learn more about The Moseley Legacy Foundation here.
*Photos provided by 49ers.com and The Moseley Legacy Foundation