Verizon is launching a new commercial campaign right before the Super Bowl, involving some of the best players in the NFL.
Twelve NFL players have come forward with some scary stories, where first responders played a role in saving their lives. The commercial campaign is called The Team That Wouldn’t Be Here.
AJ McCarron
AJ McCarron opens up about a time when he was four years old and he was on the river with his dad. He explains that they were on the jetskis and they hit the buoy in the water, resulting in AJ hitting the pier face first.
It was his grandfather who called 911, and the first responders reveal that AJ’s jaw was broken, his eye was hanging out, and his head was split, so parts of his brain were exposed.
In the commercial, the first responder reveals that he never got over that call. Even AJ’s mom was told where to get grief counseling if the worst thing happened.
Luckily, AJ survived and was able to play football. It’s clear that McCarron is still emotional talking about the incident, an incident that could have killed him if it wasn’t for the first responders.
Harvey Langi
Harvey Langi and his wife were involved in a chain-reaction car crash. Harvey explains that everything went black and his wife wasn’t responding to him when he woke up.
Shockingly, he broke his lower back, lost a few teeth, and he has several ligaments that were torn. He was concerned for his wife, as he didn’t know if she was alive.
In the commercial, Harvey questions whether he and his wife Cassie would have survived the crash if it wasn’t for the first responders.
Carson Tinker
Carson Tinker opens up about his experience with a tornado in his Verizon commercial. The tornado hit in 2011 in Alabama, and Carson took cover in his roommate’s closet.
The house was lifted off the foundation and Carson was thrown 70 feet. He explains how he was caught in a blender with pieces of houses and materials.
His roommate was the one who found him lying unconscious on the ground, face down. Carson had broken his wrist, had a concussion, and he was missing a chunk of his leg. Even the first responder reveals that he’s unsure how Tinker survived the tornado.
Adrian Colbert
Adrian Colbert has the scars to prove that he has been through hell and back. Colbert and his classmate decided to race on their bikes, and he explains that the last thing he heard was the horn of an oncoming car. He fell onto the windshield, and the driver thought Adrian was dead.
Colbert spent a week in the hospital unconscious, and the doctors thought he had broken his neck and would never walk again. However, he would later prove them all wrong, as he’s now playing in the NFL.
He does mention that if the first responders hadn’t gotten there when they did, his life may have been completely different.
Ricardo Allen
Ricardo Allen’s story is sadly one that many people can relate to. When he was little, he was trying to cook burgers for himself and his brother after football practice. When his brother took the pan under the water, it caught fire due to the grease on the pan.
Allen’s mom called 911 and he thanks the first responders for acting as quickly as they did. The kitchen did catch fire, but thanks to the first responders, everyone got out quickly and safely.
Anthony Lynn
Anthony Lynn explains that he was run over by a car, flying 45 feet into the air as the car was coming off the freeway. Lynn was the victim of a hit-and-run, as the driver fled the scene.
The first responders explain that they thought he was dying, as he was gurgling, and choking on his own blood. Lynn explains that he should have died, but he didn’t.
Anthony points to the first responders, saying that they are the true heroes as they save lives without asking for the credit or recognition.
De’angelo Henderson
Even though Henderson claimed he was alright when the first responders arrived, he would later go into shock.
De’angelo Henderson explains that if it wasn’t for the first responders in his case, he wouldn’t have been able to play football or become a dad.
Naz Jones
Naz Jones had a scary incident while in high school. Naz had some friends over and he fell asleep on his couch.
He explains that he couldn’t walk and he felt completely paralyzed. Jones was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome, a chronic pain disorder, which affects the nervous system.
He essentially had to start over during recovery, as he had to work his way up to walking using a wheelchair, a walker, crutches and eventually a cane.
Jones reveals that he would not be playing in the NFL today if it wasn’t for the first responders, especially since the doctor was unsure if he would ever walk again.
Carlos Watkins
Carlos Watkins was in a car accident when he was in college. It was raining pretty badly, and the wheels started to screech. The car hit a telephone poll and it was a lady in the house nearby that called 911.
Watkins explains that his legs were going numb. The passenger in the backseat isn’t moving.
Watkins cries in the commercial, explaining that he isn’t sure whether he could have made a difference or not. It’s clear that this accident is one that has affected many people.
Ben Jones
Ben Jones opens up about his freak accident, where he attended a baseball game. While at the game, he starts feeling odd and has a pain that he’s never experienced before. Jones learns that he has a blood clot in the brain, and he’s rushed to the hospital.
He blacked out because of the pressure in the brain. To survive, the doctors had to drain the blood clot, leaving him with 20 staples in his head. Jones thanks the first responders for acting quickly and getting him the help he needed to survive.
Clay Matthews
Clay Matthews opens up about a scary incident as a child. Clay’s mom explains that he was always an active child, earning the nickname psycho because he was always moving either fast or faster.
At the time of his accident, Clay was riding around outside on scooters. He went over the handlebars and went face first into the asphalt.
Matthews had suffered a concussion and had swelling in the brain. The first responders showed up after 5 minutes and he was taken to the hospital. He ended up surviving, but it’s clear that his mom is still rocked by the entire ordeal.
In the commercials, NFL fans may notice a 12th photo, which appears to be of Mark Andrews. We’re still waiting to hear his story and based on the others, it’ll be another story of his miraculous survival due to the heroics of first responders.
Verizon hasn’t uploaded his story to YouTube, but it appears that his name is indeed in the credits as being involved with the commercials and the campaigns. At present time, we can’t confirm why his commercial is not being shared on YouTube.