Former Eagles cornerback Troy Vincent, a perennial Pro Bowler during his career, has long been known for his exploits off the field in addition to his production on it. On Tuesday, Vincent will be recognized for his off-the-field efforts when he receives the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Service by an Athlete.
Whether it was during his celebrated fifteen years playing for the NFL or now, in his current role as Vice President of Player Engagement at the NFL, Troy's dedication to community outreach, along with his personal commitment to helping the underserved, has always been his passionate conviction; his highest priority. Community service isn't something he does; it best describes who he is.
Troy grew up in Trenton, New Jersey. With his wife, Tommi, the Vincents founded the *Love Thy Neighbor *community development corporation. The mission includes comprehensive community development, improving education and employment opportunity and leadership development. Since 1994, *Love Thy Neighbor *has awarded $475,000 in scholarships to send worthy inner-city students to college. Other *Love Thy Neighbor *programs include: DNA – Dad Needs Assistance – a fatherhood mentoring program to increase positive interaction between fathers and their children; Seed, Feed and Grow – an elementary school program to encourage children to imagine, dream and explore while establishing a love for education; and LTN College Bound – designed to train college-bound students in leadership and academic excellence, including a community service requirement.
Today, in his Player Engagement role, Troy works closely with USA Football, a youth football organization consisting of several million young student-athletes to assist them in creating important off-the-field character development curriculums and tools.
A five-time Pro Bowler and cornerback, he is also considered one of the greatest leaders in the history of the NFL. He was the president of the NFL Players Association and a team captain for 13 seasons of his 15 years of playing for the NFL.
