For the first year, the Buffalo Bills are excited to announce that Mark Maddox has been selected as the Bills' Legend of the Year.
The Legend of the Year is a Bills Legend who continues to demonstrate exceptional commitment to community service and philanthropic efforts in their respective communities.
Maddox was drafted by the Bills in 1991. The linebacker played in Buffalo from '91-'97. He finished his career in Phoenix, with the Arizona Cardinals, where he currently resides today. In his six-year stint in Buffalo, Maddox played in 67 games and had 272 tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Maddox has continued to display an exemplary commitment to community service in his hometown community, in addition to independently arranging acts of kindness and service in the Buffalo community when he returns.
The Legend of the Year Community Grant was created to highlight and support Buffalo Bills Legends who exhibits continued dedication and commitment to community efforts during the past calendar year and shows interest in engaging and participating in Buffalo Bills Legends Community activities and forums. Maddox will be presented with a five-thousand-dollar grant and this week's game against the Carolina Panthers. He explained what this honor means to him.
"It means a lot," Maddox said. "It just shows that what my group and I are trying to do is being recognized. That we're actually doing good for others and that it's being seen and recognized by organizations like the bills which is a big achievement and a big plus for us."
Maddox is the founder and executive director of the Help1 Foundation which is committed to expanding opportunities for youth and their families by offering financial assistance and scholarships to those less fortunate. The foundation is dedicated to making an impact in lives through personal connections, support, and scholarships.
In 2021, Help1 provided 1,000 books to children in Buffalo, Phoenix, Wyoming, and Texas. They provided 50 backpacks and supplies to children in need at title 1 schools, provided four high school athletes with camp scholarships, and granted a gymnastics scholarship. They provided 110 bags with necessities along with breakfast to homeless and low-income Buffalo residents. During the holidays, they will provide shoes, clothes, and toys to low-income families who have children with special needs.
Maddox believes that it is so important to give back to those less fortunate than you. Since a young age, Maddox has been giving back and it motivates him to bring other people joy and make their day better. With athletes nowadays having so many ways to have their message heard, Maddox thinks it's so crucial that they use their platform for good.
"It's important because we have the voice to help others who don't have a voice," Maddox added. … "And when we have a voice and we bring awareness to simple little things, you never know the difference you can make. My foundation is called Help1 Foundation and it's about helping one person at a time, truly one kid. And if we affect just one person, you don't know how far that will go because one person then affects another one and it just keeps building and building and building. That's why it's important to me, and I think it should be important to others because people look up to athletes as role models."
For more information on Maddox's foundation, click here.
