Carolina Panthers OT Ickey Ekwonu has teamed with Honeywell to support AI education in Charlotte. Ekwonu picked his "My Cause, My Cleats" footwear based on a contest with local students. By Mike Kaye
The Panthers’ offensive linemen will have football on their minds and unique cleats on their feet Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium.
The NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign is underway, and Carolina will get its turn to shine a spotlight on several notable causes during the Week 13 home matchup against the NFC’s top team in the standings.
From quarterback Bryce Young (youth mental health and wellness) to wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (homeless community assistance) to punter Sam Martin (Special Olympics), the bulk of the roster will be sporting cleats that represent a charitable foundation or cause that means something to them.
Linemen Austin Corbett, Ickey Ekwonu and Taylor Moton are among the group that will wear specialized footwear on the home turf. Their causes are close to their hearts because of how the missions reflect their own lives and the lives of those they care about beyond the field.
Austin Corbett: All Within My Hands
Metallica’s lengthy discography was the soundtrack of the Corbett household during the offensive lineman’s formative years. Corbett and his father, Theron, bonded over the thrash metal band’s greatest hits and gnarly B-sides.
So, when the band came to Bank of America Stadium in May, Corbett flew his dad out from Nevada for the big show.
To make things even more special, Panthers offensive line coach Joe Gilbert had a deep connection to the band. Gilbert was able to get members of the Panthers’ staff and the Corbetts hooked up with a memorable behind-the-scenes experience.
Carolina Panthers offensive lineman Austin Corbett’s “My Cause, My Cleats” cleats are displayed on the Bank of America Stadium turf. Carolina Panthers
And that’s when Gilbert introduced Corbett to his buddy from upstate New York, Marc Reiter, Metallica’s head of creative. Reiter told Gilbert and Corbett about the band’s “All Within My Hands” Foundation, which assists with food insecurity and offers scholarships for workplace education.
“I think the thing that’s really cool with ‘All Within My Hands,’ they give scholarships to not just kids, but grownups to give them a second chance in life,” Gilbert said. “Whether they’re becoming a mechanic, a plumber, a carpenter — whatever it is. And I think it’s just a great story of how a couple of the guys in the band, to my understanding, said if their music didn’t work out, that was kind of the route they were going to have to go, and that’s how they started this thing and to be able and give back to people.”
Gilbert and Corbett pitched Reiter on representing the foundation as part of the “My Cause, My Cleats” initiative, and both the coach and the player will wear specially designed cleats Sunday.
“I grew up listening to them because of my dad,” Corbett said. “So, to have my dad out here, and just the care and appreciation they showed (us), it’s kind of an easy no-brainer to do it right back to them.”
The Carolina Panthers showcase OL coach Joe Gilbert’s cleats for the “My Cause, My Cleats initiative.” Andrew Stein Carolina Panthers
Coincidentally, the foundation’s mission hits close to home for both Gilbert and Corbett.
Gilbert’s father worked construction and took side jobs during his career. The longtime position coach knows how important learning a trade can be for someone looking to find a new career.
“Giving someone like that the opportunity to really get a trade (training) today, to have a better life, I think is really a pretty cool thing,” Gilbert said.
Corbett’s father worked in masonry when he was growing up. The elder Corbett lost his job during the recession in 2008, when Corbett was a teenager. So the future NFL lineman and his family needed some help during the holidays.
Metallica’s goal of aiding those with food insecurity has helped Corbett reflect on his own experiences.
“We had our Christmas dinners, Thanksgiving dinners dropped off, and it’s just part of life,” Corbett said. “Things happen, but we were so fortunate to have people step in who were able to donate and be a part of that, to where we could be contributed to, and we didn’t miss out, and we had those things provided for us. Now, it’s always in the back of your head — you’ve gotta be grateful for where you came from, and my parents did a great job of just understanding and making sure that we appreciate the struggles, and use those to carry forward and learn forward in your life.”
Carolina Panthers offensive lineman Austin Corbett’s “My Cause, My Cleats” cleats are displayed on the Bank of America Stadium turf. Carolina Panthers
Corbett’s father now works as a truck driver in Nevada. It was his second chance at making a living, and Corbett sees the parallels between his dad’s job and what the “All Within My Hands” Foundation is trying to accomplish.
Opportunities come in different ways for different people. There’s no cookie-cutter solution, but Corbett — who is now in his ninth NFL season — appreciates that Metallica is giving those looking for direction the opportunities to earn a steady income.
He’s also well aware of how important combating food insecurity is, as the lineman noted it’s a cause that’s impossible to ignore.
“It’s absolutely everywhere, and you’re crazy if you turn a blind eye to it,” Corbett said. “Just to help out, whether it’s swiping a credit card extra for somebody at the grocery store, or getting in the food banks and doing that (work). Any time you can, you have to.”
Taylor Moton: Classroom Central
Moton grew up with an educator in the household. His mother, Sonya Gunnings-Moton, was associate dean of the College of Education at Michigan State. Moton’s mother was active in the Detroit community, using her influence at Michigan State to create education programs for local students.
“A lot of summer education programs,” Moton recalled. “A lot of her background is in psychology and education.”
Carolina Panthers offensive lineman Taylor Moton poses with his freshly painted and designed cleats ahead of his “My Cause, My Cleats” game, focused on elevating education. Alex Zietlow Charlotte Observer
With a teacher guiding him at home, Moton was very aware of the importance of education. As he thrived on the football field, Gunnings-Moton made sure that her son thrived in the classroom as well.
“Very much so,” Moton said. “My mom made sure that I knew that with student-athlete, student came first, and she wasn’t playing about the grades. If the grades weren’t right, I knew that sports wouldn’t be a thing, so grades always came first. It was important that I got my degree from (Western Michigan). It was important that I got good grades, too — all throughout college and high school.”
Moton decided to represent Charlotte-based charity Classroom Central for his cause in Week 13. His ties to education are strong, and he wants to empower current and former teachers in their classrooms.
According to the charity’s website, Classroom Central’s mission is to instill “equity in education by providing teachers and students with the free resources they need to succeed.”
“They do a lot to help the teachers with everything they need with supplies, and try to keep the teachers rolling,” Moton explained. “They don’t get enough credit for everything they do.”
Moton, who plans to partner with the charity on projects in the future, will have cleats that feature the program’s logo.
In a way, he will be honoring his mother and his grandfather Sunday.
He was inspired to represent Classroom Central because of his mother’s work in education. But he was inspired to play football because of her father, former Winston-Salem standout Thomas Gunnings. He wears No. 72 because of Gunnings.
Carolina Panthers offensive lineman Taylor Moton poses with his freshly painted and designed cleats in Bank of America Stadium ahead of his “My Cause, My Cleats” game. His cleats are focused on helping public education. Alex Zietlow Charlotte Observer
“I wouldn’t be where I’m at without my family,” Moton said. “I wouldn’t have gotten into football without my grandfather. I knew how big football was to him, even at a young age. I wanted to make him proud, and I’m glad he was my motivator to keep going and keep playing, and brought me back to a lot of my roots here in the Charlotte area.
“So, yeah, it definitely played a huge role, and kudos to them, to my mom,” Moton added. “I’m glad I can wear those cleats for a great cause, for Classroom Central.”
Ickey Ekwonu: Carolina Youth Coalition
Ekwonu is a Charlotte native. He played college football at NC State, and he’s been with the Panthers throughout his four-year NFL career.
So, the Providence Day grad wanted to make sure he found a cause that was central to his lifelong community. He has partnered with Honeywell’s Future Shapers program to help foster an environment of innovation for Charlotte-area students.
“I definitely want to grow the roots from within,” Ekwonu said. “Within the community, more than anything, I wanted to partner up with local brands.”
The Carolina Panthers showcase LT Ickey Ekwonu’s cleats for the “My Cause, My Cleats” initiative. Andrew Stein Carolina Panthers
Ekwonu, who has an interest in artificial intelligence education, has worked with the program in the past, serving as a judge in competitions among students. Given his outlook on AI, Ekwonu was excited to stage a competition around the design of his cleats using AI technology.
The Carolina Youth Coalition partnered with Honeywell to create and submit designs for the Future Shapers program-centric cleats. Ekwonu picked from among four finalist designs in October, and the cleats were given to him last week.
The winners of the competition, based on Ekwonu’s choice, will be hosted by Honeywell on Sunday and get to see Ekwonu warm up with the cleats.
“I might have to change up my routine a little bit,” Ekwonu said with a smile. “Might not have the spat for that game. But I’ll definitely showcase them a lot during warmups, too. Get a lot of pictures during warmups of me working with the cleats and stuff. We’ll see about game day, but definitely excited to show them off.”
Ekwonu believes that AI can be used for good in the community. His focus is largely on educating the next generation to put it toward that use.
“I think it’s important to educate, especially the younger generation, on AI use, especially because it’s such a new thing,” Ekwonu said. “This is technology they’re going to grow up with, so the more that they’re used to it, and the more they learn about it — the right ways to use it, because there are a lot of negative ways to use it as well — I feel like the more they learn about the positive ways early on, it’s just going to help in the future.”
As with the cleats worn by Moton and Corbett, Ekwonu’s cleats will be auctioned, with the proceeds going toward the Carolina Youth Coalition program as part of the “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign.
Ekwonu hopes the awareness of the program will help further education into the technology that youngsters in Charlotte can use to better a community that he cares about deeply.
“I think it’s definitely important to pair it with fundraisers, and pair it with organizations that have a message that aligns with yours,” Ekwonu said. “ I think it’s important to use your voice and your platform for good.”