Everyone knows that Prince William really loves football, whether he’s cheering for his team or playing the game himself. Today, he really showcased his skills on the American football field, hanging out with NFL stars Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell.
The Prince of Wales showed up at a community event in south London, put together by the NFL Foundation UK. This organisation focusses on helping young people in parts of the UK that face significant challenges. The event aimed to showcase the Foundation’s efforts with NFL Flag, which is a five-a-side, non-contact version of the game. It’s all about helping young people build confidence and achieve their potential through sports.
“Wow, he was taller than I expected!” “He’s such a nice guy,” Osi Umenyiora, who played with the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons, shared with T&C after the event. “He has intelligent eyes, and I really think it’s his overall understanding, or maybe his desire to understand, the game of football that stands out. His passion and engagement with everyone were truly fascinating, and it’s definitely something we won’t forget.”
Jason Bell, who played for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, and New York Giants, said that William was “really easy to engage with.”
“He was curious about the details of the game, genuinely trying to get a grasp on it.” He clearly has a passion for his sport, so he’s really diving into the details of the game,” he said.
The two players joined William on the field, and they spoke of how eagerly he got involved. Phoebe Schecter, the captain of the GB Women’s Flag Football Team, had the chance to put the Prince through his paces. “You know, he’s got this amazing arm strength. It just took a bit of tweaking in his technique to help him really focus on his aim,” she mentioned later. “He found himself in a situation that likely made him uneasy, but he stepped up and took charge.” At one point, he made a great handoff and tossed some amazing passes down the field. Wow, his arm is really strong! I was totally surprised. He mentioned that he used to play on the beach with friends and family when he was younger.
One of the young folks who joined the Prince at Kennington Park Hockey Field was 14-year-old Kavay, and he said his experience was “very exciting.”.
“It’s a blast, and you really feel like part of a family while making tonnes of new friends,” he said about playing NFL Flag. “He was really nice.” “He can throw really, really well,” he said about William.
American football isn’t super popular in the UK, but the Prince showing up today will definitely help get more people interested in the sport. “You’re chatting about the future King of England,” Osi said. “Having someone like that endorse a game that’s gaining traction here is definitely going to help it grow even faster than it already has.” It might not be your typical sport, but when you think about the King of England, this is definitely a classic institution. He’s making it clear that American football is here to stay.