Rich Eisen might not blow any scouts away with his 40-yard dash time these days, but he is putting a dent on cancer. Eisen runs the famous football drill every year at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. So when the league canceled this year’s event, the show had to go on at the next stop on the calendar: The 2021 NFL Draft.
The #RunRichRun campaign continues this weekend, with Eisen sprinting another 40-yard dash to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This is the only time NFL Network’s first host has run the drill around NFL Draft coverage and not the NFL Combine.
Eight NFL players have matched up with eight other entrepreneurs to donate money to the cause. The legends include Jerry Rice, Ray Lewis, Cris Carter, Rod Woodson, Terrell Davis, Michael Vick, Torry Holt, and Eric Metcalf. The entrepreneurs include DraftKings CEO Jason Robins and the most recent bidder for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Marc Lore.
“We have eight awesome donors and benefactors,” Eisen said. “Who have already donated more than $1 million so they can run with eight NFL legends who are taking time out of their April day to come here and raise more money for St. Jude.”
Since this idea started six years ago, the campaign has raised over $2.5 million for St. Jude. The NFL has also partnered with the research hospital on the “NFL Play 60” campaign since 2012. Fans with some gas left in their athletic tank can support the cause on social media by recording themselves running the forty and posting on Twitter with #RunYour40.
“It’s humbling, and it’s awesome,” Eisen said about the experience.
Eisen is fresh off a 5.98 second time at last year’s Combine. His record 40-yard dash is 5.94 seconds set back in 2016. Fans wanting to donate directly to St. Jude can do so here.