Michael Purcell (Defensive Lineman)
Denver Broncos Defensive Lineman Michael Purcell is committed to honoring, empowering and connecting with our nation's service members, veterans and their families. For four consecutive seasons (2019-22), Purcell has honored Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) for the NFL's My Cause My Cleats initiative saying, "This is really just a shout out and thank you for those who have served our country and sacrificed so much." Taking it a step further, as part of the initiative in 2019, Purcell visited with a local veterans business resource group to thank them for their service and share his cleats. In 2021 he unveiled his cleats at the WWP Colorado Springs office, showcasing the words of encouragement he selected for warriors. Each year he has auctioned his cleats to benefit WWP, matching the total in 2021 and raising more than $3,310 over the first three years for WWP's mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors who incurred a physical or mental injury, illnesses, or wound, co-incident to military service. He also helped lead a virtual team visit with WWP in November of 2020, providing an opportunity for players and veterans to connect during Salute to Service month. In May 2021, he participated in a "Wingman Week Virtual Visit" with Buckley Air Force Base and United Service Organizations (USO) Colorado, with a goal to empower service members, strengthen connections, and rejuvenate the fighting spirit. During his limited break from football ahead of the team's 2022 training camp, Purcell was one of two featured players to visit with and honor local service members on a USAA Salute to Service caravan.