Skip to Main Content

Sunshine Health and Pro Football Hall of Fame Launching COVID-19 Vaccination Awareness Effort Featuring Derrick Brooks

Date: 04/27/21

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.


Gold Jacket Derrick Brooks is teaming up with Sunshine Health and the Pro Football Hall of Fame to encourage all Floridians to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Watch the video.

Centene Corporation and the Pro Football Hall of Fame have launched a PSA campaign to educate people across the U.S. about the safety and importance of the COVID-19 vaccine, with a particular focus on communities of color. As part of the Centene family, Sunshine Health is engaging Floridians to encourage them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to help prevent the spread of the virus. The campaign features a PSA from Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks.

“I have many close family members and loved ones who count on me for their well-being and their safety,” Brooks, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Florida State University Seminole, says in his PSA. “Letting them down is not an option. That’s why I’m getting the COVID vaccine.”

Brooks played 14 seasons in the NFL and was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003.

To achieve “herd immunity,” roughly 80% of the U.S. population needs to be vaccinated, health officials have said. Multiple surveys have indicated high rates of “vaccine hesitancy” within the African American community and other communities of color. Recent data show Black populations make up only 9% of those who have been vaccinated despite constituting 13% of the population and accounting for 15% of all COVID-19 deaths.

In addition to the PSAs, which will run on TV and digital platforms, Sunshine Health Interim Chief Medical Officer Alan R. Smith, M.D., is sharing general information about the vaccine, the phased approach to availability, its safety and efficacy, and other details.

“Derrick Brooks was a great team player in the NFL, and now he’s a great team player for everyone in Florida,” Smith said. “I am glad they have joined us to share this important public health message.”

“Every community in Florida deserves to be protected from this virus,” said Liz Miller, CEO of Sunshine Health. “We’re committed to improving the health of all Floridians, and we appreciate Derrick and the Pro Football Hall of Fame for joining us in this effort.”

The PSA campaign launched nationally with PSAs from other Hall of Famers including Anthony Muñoz, Darrell Green, Aeneas Williams, and Drew Pearson; Lisa Salters, a Hall of Fame Selector and TV broadcaster; and, friends of the Hall Dawn Staley, a three-time Olympic gold medal winner and coach of the 2017 national champion University of South Carolina women's basketball team, and Iman McFarland, Chief Operating Officer for 21st Century Expo Group and an ambassador for the Hall's and Centene's joint "Strong Youth Strong Communities" programming.

Each nationally released 30-second message can be previewed and downloaded here: Anthony Muñoz (English), Anthony Muñoz , Darrell Green, Derrick Brooks, Aeneas Williams, Drew Pearson, Lisa Salters, Dawn Staley, Iman McFarland. The campaign's 15- and 60-second versions can be found here.

“As we’ve seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re a team, and we need to work together to stop the virus from spreading,” said David Baker, President and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “We recognize there are a lot of questions out there about the vaccine, so we want to make sure we’re reaching as many people as possible. We thank Derrick for encouraging everyone to get vaccinated for the sake of their loved ones.”

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is Centene’s Official Youth Wellness Partner. Through the “Strong Youth Strong Communities” program, Hall of Famers have discussed important issues with youth, including mental health, suicide, and bullying. During the pandemic, “virtual” Youth Summits have been held in a number of states on these topics. For its work on these issues, the Hall of Fame was the recipient of the 2019 Booker T. Washington award from the National Minority Quality Forum for its commitment to advancing health equity.

Below are also some of the insights and information being shared by Sunshine Health’s Dr. Alan Smith to educate communities and address any uncertainty about the COVID-19 vaccine:

  • The COVID-19 vaccine provides the best chance for individuals to protect themselves and their families from getting COVID-19 in the future. They are highly effective, especially at preventing severe illness and hospitalization related to COVID-19.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carefully reviews all safety data from clinical trials and authorizes emergency vaccine use only when the expected benefits outweigh the potential risks.
  • Some individuals may run a fever after getting the vaccine. This is normal, as their body builds immunity and fights off future COVID-19 exposures.

For more information about Sunshine Health and its healthcare support services, visit SunshineHealth.com.